Oregano

Scattered. That was my oregano, all over our lawn! I found it growing out of the cracks of the old rock retaining wall, along the borders where the lawn mower’s blade can’t reach, even in the middle of the lawn, where its seed is scattered and keeping a low profile.

Scattered is how I feel when stressed, caught in the act of spinning too many plates. When life’s anchor starts to drag and I feel I’m about to lose my moorings, alarm can set in as I realize I am unable to keep all my ducks in a row, let alone in the same pond. But the Lord gives us an enduring and comforting promise about feeling scattered that should still our restless worries. Ezekiel 34:11-12 assures us that:

“I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.
As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when is with them,
so will I look after my sheep.
I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered
on a day of clouds and darkness.”

When I find myself in a season of scattered showers, it is easy to watch all joy dissolve and evaporate before my eyes. It is in the scatterings of life that we need to look for His knowledge revealed in our lives, in our dark nights of the soul that His presence still surrounds, as evidenced by Genesis 1:2:

“Now the earth was formless and empty,
darkness was over the surface of the deep,
and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

He is there in the midst of our darkness, covering over our lonely expanses, and even in our nights He reveals Himself:  “night after night they reveal knowledge,” (Psalm 19:2).

So even in our scattered ways, there is purpose. He leaves nothing to chance. In Greek, oregano’s literal derivation is “mountain of happiness” or “joy of the mountain.” It can be seen covering the Mediterranean hillsides with its fragrant flowers. In the same way, may our seasonal scatterings produce fruit of joy, bearing a “mountain of happiness.”

I have therapeutically ingested oil of oregano to help treat digestive issues:  two drops in a small capsule to kill off any bacteria that could be the culprits of digestive discomfort. Apply concentrated amounts topically with a carrier oil, as it can burn. Potent in medicinal value, it boasts of antioxidants, magnesium and vitamin B6.

Oregano Pesto
1 cup fresh oregano leaves
¼ cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Add ingredients to blender or food processor and pulse to blend until smooth.