The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Minute(s) (as in time) (03/03/11)
The clock ticked quietly but distinctly. The tired woman lay on the couch, trying to go back to sleep but that clock just kept ticking…ticking…ticking…

With a start, she jerked awake. Looking at the clock, she groaned. It had only been 10 minutes since the last time she'd looked. How could they seem like such an eternity, she wondered, as she laid her head back down and closed her eyes.

Trying vainly to go back to sleep for what felt like the 100th time, she noticed the ticking was now accompanied by a creak coming from the heater. That was accompanied by a whisper from the refrigerator. In fact, the whole house seemed to be performing a symphony, serenading her in her sleepless misery.

As she lay there, resting, she thought back to another time, eighteen months ago, when she had experienced a similar situation. It was another long, slow, painful night of wondering, praying, dozing, and jerking awake. It, too, seemed like it would never end. But it had. Indeed, it had ended in a joy she had only experienced a handful of times.

Since then, time seemed to have put on roller skates. That eighteen months flew by faster than the two sleepless nights combined! Was there hope that when this night ended…

"Mom, mom," the deep voice quietly whispered in her ear, as a gentle hand nudged her awake. The clock chimed five times as she struggled to open her eyes and look at the son-in-law smiling down at her.

"It's a girl, mom!" he proudly announced. She's an adorable little girl, with big blue eyes, who's going to love her big brother AND the wonderful grandmother who babysat so she could be born! Dorothy's doing fine. And mom, her name is Caroline Rae."

Choking back the tears of joy, Rae-ann looked at her son-in-law. Another healthy grandchild! Another precious gift from God. Another long, lonely night ending in joy. Her face radiated with happiness as she hugged Michael in congratulations. All of a sudden, those minutes were no longer dragging. They were back to humming along happily, as she praised God for a safe delivery and a tremendous blessing.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 812 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Helen Carr
03/13/11
Beautiful! I love the symphony description, I'll have to try and remember that next time I can't sleep!

This brought back memories of looking at the clock and feeling the exact same frustration when in labour (the opposite of time flying whilst having fun!).
Karlene Jacobsen 
03/13/11
Awe, such a sweet story.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
03/14/11
You did a good job with the descriptions and really showed how time sometimes flies by and other times it seems to creep.
Leola Ogle
03/14/11
I loved this. I have been both the one giving birth and the grandmother watching the clock waiting for the birth. Thanks for sharing. God bless!
Michael Throne
03/15/11
Nice story! I didn’t know where you were going until the end. I especially enjoyed the instant transition from sleeplessness to being awakened. Very realisitic.
Norma-Anne Hough
03/17/11
Lovely descriptions in this story of yours.
Enjoyable read with a lovely ending:)