Oh, the anticipation … the news went round – “it’s coming! Are you going to see it?” Well, did you? The Flying Scotsman! Saturday morning, the dogs and I set off to find a good vantage point down the lane to Teigh, and found 3 others doing the same. We waited, admiring the view, watching the time, trying to work out where it might be: “should be here at about 10.15”. We watched the horizon for steam, listened for the chuffa chuffa, and chatted about all sorts, breaking off every now and then (I heard it! Yes!! No … it was the dog panting). And we waited … and waited. And I think secretly we wondered if we’d got it wrong, but then, all of a sudden, just before 11, there was the steam, right by us, and the noise, and the delight of seeing what we had waited for.

Patience paid off; we could have given up and gone home when it didn’t appear at the time we thought, but we would have missed something special. And we would have missed those 45 minutes of conversation. Patience is something in this world of fast food, super-fast broadband, High-Speed Rail and the rest, that is often under-valued. And patience with one another. It’s easy to give up on people when they don’t do what we think they should straightaway, and be judgmental of them. A bible passage often read at weddings, reminds us that love is patient. Or, as a poem based on that passage says: “Love means hanging in there when everyone else shrugs their shoulders and goes off to MacDonalds”.

A few months ago everyone went home from St Andrew’s with a little card, to remind others and ourselves: “Be patient, God hasn’t finished with me yet”. The wait is worth it!

Blessings,
Janet

The Revd Janet Tebby
01664 474096

janet@oakhamteam.org.uk