Simeon and Anna: Patient Waiting
As we get closer to Christmas, let's talk about two people who were not part of the chaos but part of the quiet, patient anticipation: Simeon and Anna.
They were two elderly saints who spent their lives waiting in the Temple for the promised Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple for the purification ceremony, Simeon and Anna finally received their reward.
Luke 2:25 (KJV) says Simeon was "just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him."
Think about that phrase: "waiting for the consolation of Israel." He wasn't just passively waiting; he was actively expecting God to fulfill His promise, and the Holy Ghost was upon him for his faithfulness.
The “Souper” Secret Ingredient
On Thursday evening, we had some friends over to celebrate our one-year anniversary in Wales and also to plan out our events for the upcoming year. I decided to make my vegetable beef soup in the crockpot even though that was the meal I prepared for them the last time they were over. They enjoyed it enough the previous time that they had asked for the recipe.
As we enjoyed the hot soup Thursday, our friends confessed that they had tried to replicate it themselves, but theirs wasn’t as good. I told them the lesson my dad had taught me long ago. When making soups or chilis, the secret ingredient is time.
Why Is Waiting So Hard?
After having Tess for a couple of weeks and giving her time to get acclimated to her new environment, we began some basic training with her. The first step was to teach her to sit. It took a few days, but now, she has that one down pat to the point she does it before we ask her to.
The second step hasn’t been quite as successful. She’s getting there, but like me, the girl has a hard time waiting. We’re teaching her to sit and wait until we give her the okay before rushing after her food, kong, or toys. She’ll sit, but the waiting is still a work in progress.