The Gift of Thyme

There are these two guys we know called Ivor Mosquito and Ivan Itch who are always buzzing around our house. Sometimes they are welcome, especially just before Christmas when my wife and I were in the garden and Ivor came to deliver our presents; and sometimes they're unwelcome when it is at an inappropriate time when my wife and I are in the bedroom.

I'll never learn how to make the bed and how to fold the sheets neatly in the corners as they do in hotels.

In them times they also used to leave a piece of chocolate on the pillow in hotels. I never knew why. It often melted in the night ... the number of times I had to explain to the maids who came to clean the room that it was chocolate on the pillow cases and the sheets!

Anyway, where was I before you interrupted me?

Oh yes ... Ivor Mosquito came and he gave me my present. It was a box of different herbs to plant in the garden. You know, mint, basil, rosemary, oregano; that sort of thing. I went quickly in my corner of the garden and planted them all. I always plant my herbs in alphabetical order. Ivor was amazed. He said, "where do you find the time?" I replied, "it's there next to the parsley, rosemary and sage ..."

Time is a precious commodity, you know. We often don't have time to spare for the more important things in life. Like sparing a moment or two for someone else. Smiling at a stranger perhaps. Saying "hi" to the neighbour as we go in or out of our house.

I know people who spend a lot of time helping others. Visiting the sick in hospital. Working voluntarily in church. Buying and preparing soup and sandwiches and going to feed the homeless late at night in town. They even take items of clothing like hats, gloves and other garments to help the poor keep out the cold. They also volunteer to visit old folks at home and drive them to doctor's and hospital appointments. I respect people who spend their time like that.

There are so many ways we can spend our time helping others.

Do you know that even spending time writing your Blog is helping others who visit you and are cheered by what you write? They also get an extra cheer when you visit them and leave a comment on their posts. Whatever you write ... about herbs perhaps, or plants, or cars or pets, or about Jesus too; you can rest assured someone will appreciate the time it took you to write it.

Now back to my herbs ... lettuce pray!