A Captured Moment

One of the many things
big brothers are there for.



Snuggling little ones to sleep :o)


Josiah and Hadassah

Drawing on the Grace of God - Now

"As God's fellow workers, we urge you
not to receive God's grace in vain."
II Corinthians 6:1


Prayer is the practice of drawing upon the
grace of God. Don't say, "I will endure this until
I can get away and pray." Pray now - draw upon
the grace of God in your moment of need.

Oswald Chambers

It has occurred to me that the American church at large has sustained one of its most significant losses over the last century or so in its setting aside the practice of immediate prayer. It is no longer common, this fleeing to the foot of the throne at a moments notice while each temptation is but a bud to be nipped; while each trial is in its infancy needing but to be prepared for and endured with the patience and strength born only in the closet of prayer; while each need is new and easily cast upon the Savior before its weight increases with time making it more difficult to then drag to the throne of grace. Why do we delay? Why do we turn so easily, even thoughtlessly, from that which is freely offered to His own? Perhaps because the practice of daily prayer has been set aside as well, or made into a daily routine, one more task on the list. Daily prayer is only fruitful when it is a time of communication, not simply a recitation; when it is communion, not only duty; when it is also listening, not only speaking. Within this closet of prayer, where the heart is humble, the spirit sensitive, the soul open to God - this is where the relationship of a Heavenly Father and His chosen child finds fertile soil for growth. This is where character takes root, fruit ripens, and faith flourishes. When this becomes the atmosphere of daily prayer, then the practice of immediate prayer finds itself at home as the natural response of a trusting child who takes all to his loving Father. May our prayer closets be unlocked with communication, entered into with listening hearts, and filled with true communion with God that humble hearts would be lifted up; sensitive spirits would be sure of God's presence; and souls open to God would be filled to overflowing. May we be faithful in the closet that we might be fruitful in the Kingdom.

Lilacs - Its a Learning Thing

This one is for those helpful Erber computer techs. I actually did it! My first post with the pictures all "strung" together! This is truly a break through for me in computer science. I can almost see you smiling . . . I guess I haven't reached the highly esteemed level of "Techy" at this point. Give me a little time - I might get there yet. Thank you Jessica for being on stand by for a tutoring session with me should the need arise. Thank you Jonathan for your clear and detailed instructions. I was actually able to achieve the following "masterpiece" on my first try! Does that mean I am a natural? That is a rhetorical question :). The HTML thing is all new to me - I am guessing there is a whole lot more you can accomplish with those HTML codes computer wide. Seeing how much I enjoy lilacs and learning, I thought it only appropriate to use the following pictures for this learning experience.

Gratefully ~
Mrs. Ortega



Lilacs

I have already admitted (in a previous post on pansies) that lilacs are one of my favorite flowers. When I was young, my mother had a whole row of lilac bushes along one side of the house. They were so big that they created a sort of outdoor room. No one went there much, except for me. I loved it there in the shade with the fresh beauty and luscious scent all around me. I used to lounge among the lilacs with a good book and pass many a contented hour. Ever since leaving my parents home, I have looked forward to having lilacs of my own. Our recent move into the country included seven acres and one beautiful lilac bush. Need I say that I am delighted? Okay, I am delighted. Anyway, in enjoying my lilacs this spring, I decided to take some photos to use as backgrounds for my desktop. That way I can enjoy my flowers all year round. For your viewing enjoyment - I share my somewhat limited photo collection.

A beautiful spot of color.



Isn't this shade of purple lovely?



Ahhh . . . they smell so wonderful (take my word for it).



A sunlit moment.



Okay, I admit - these are not mine - this is the one good picture of lilacs I snapped at Cantigny. Lilac season was almost over when we went, but I found this bunch still thriving.

Jonathan - thank you again for the lesson - ahhh . . . victory is sweet!

Quips and Bits

Dedicated to sharing Quips and Bits of
everyday life with the Ortegas.

Quips

One of the joys of family life is all the creative, fun things little ones say as they are learning to communicate. Some of our favorites:

In endeavoring to learn Spanish a couple of years back, our oldest, Josiah, expressed his delight at the prospect of someday being fluent in this way, "It will be so great when I can just blob off in Spanish anytime I want to!" We all broke out laughing imagining blobs of Spanish.


Josiah - no blobs of Spanish yet.

~ A Quip

When our fourth child, Isaiah, was two years old, he had a bit of trouble singing "Happy Birthday". He would get confused on when to sing "Birthday" and when to sing "you". So, he just put in "you" for all of them. It went something like this, "Happy you you to you, Happy you you to you, Happy you you dear you you, Happy you you to you." Try singing that one with a straight face :)



Isaiah - HAPPY YOU YOU!

~ Another Quip

When our youngest, Hadassah, was two, we were memorizing the 23rd Psalm as a family. She worked intently doing her best to learn it. Finally, we reached the point of each of us reciting the whole thing for the rest of the family. She took her turn very seriously. She stood up, folded her hands in front of her, took a deep breath, and said, "The Lord is my shepherd, He is what I want!" With an air of finality, she sat back down. Maybe she figured that about summed it up. So much for her reciting word for word. However, I can't help but smile, I believe she is getting the idea.



Hadassah - life is simple and sweet.

On to the Bits

Bits

Another one of the joys of family life is simply sharing all the bits of everyday living that weave together the fabric of our lives, reflecting in small ways a bit of who we are.

Where I Am

Sunny, rainy, stormy
No matter where I am
I know that God is watching me
So, that is where I am.

Poem by: Moriah

Moriah - content knowing God is with us.

~ A Bit

Not long ago, arriving in my sons' room to lend some parental guidance, I was met by the smiles of those who have a clear conscience. Wondering at this, I simply said, "Well?" They were so glad to explain to me that they had both prayed and asked God to forgive them for their wrong and help them to do better the next time. I hugged them both, delighted that they had taken this step on their own. Then our second son, Gabriel, told me that they had even recorded it in their journals. I had to wonder at that as they are still in the learning to write process and their journals are more pictures than words. He must of noticed my surprise because he was quick to explain, "Since we did not know how to spell it, I told Isaiah we could just draw a sorry piece." My reply, "You mean something like a sad face?" He looked at me kind of funny and said, "No, Mama, you know, a sorry piece." Seeing that I was evidently still lost, he added, "Like in the game . . . Sorry . . . the pieces you move around." A smile of dawning revelation broke over my face. Then I was shown the picture. "Isn't that good, Mama? Now I have a way to remember it," he said beaming. Good indeed.



Gabriel, ahh . . . the freedom of a clear conscience.

Papa leading the troops!

A Day at Cantigny

We visited the park, Cantigny, during the recent Memorial Day weekend. The home estate of one Robert McCormick now dedicated to the memory and appreciation of those who have fought and died preserving our freedom, particularly those who fought with the 1st division in the battle that took place in Cantigny, France. A battle whose victory was crucial for the victory of the allies during World War I. While this battle is the focal point of the park, there is representation of each of the major wars our country has participated in, with memoirs, artifacts, and historical records pertaining to each.

In looking through the war museum, the many artifacts, the pictures and the recreated representations, each of us was struck by different aspects of what we were seeing. The boys reveled in the bravery and valor displayed in the combat and victories. The girls were sobered as they were confronted with the violence of war and its many sorrows and losses. We were all reminded of the incredibly high price many have been called to pay to secure and maintain our freedom, even unto death. What struck me was the "even unto death" part. I have often thought of those who gave their lives, sacrificing their very life blood as the mortar to build the foundation of freedom and liberty we enjoy today. It is so important to remember the cost so that we protect the freedom and liberty God has granted us as the precious commodity it is, being careful not to take it for granted. However, there are many who have sacrificed their lives who survived war. The surviving soldiers who have sacrificed their innocence and often their limbs, their sight, their careers, their hopes and their dreams have also contributed to paying the cost. It is this cost - the sacrifice of those who returned home to bravely face a life forever changed by their experiences; to deal with the challenges of a body forever scared and perhaps tattered by the ravages of war; and to seek to find rest for a mind filled with memories so vivid and horrific that the bravest of men would turn away, if only one could turn from their memories - it is this cost that so vividly presented itself to me at Cantigny.

The Ortega children enjoy some hands on participation during our Memorial Day weekend visit to Cantigny.

Pansy reflections.

The Reflection in the Pansy

While there were historic feats to be appreciated, my greatest lesson for the day was in the gardens of Cantigny. We had a beautiful day for touring the gardens as it was not too hot and not too cool. In walking through the vast and beautiful grounds, I was struck yet again with the endless creativity of our great God. It was pansy season when we went and there had to be hundreds of thousands of pansies. In fact, that was the main flower in bloom during our visit. Granted, there were some others, the poppies and lilacs were also in bloom, but not so abundantly as the pansies. I will admit at this point that lilacs are among my favorite flowers. I never really gave much thought to pansies, other than that they were a cheery sort of flower. However, after seeing so many of them in a seemingly endless variety of color combinations, I have a new respect for this small, seemingly cheerful flower. It is the simple beauty of this flower that seems to bring a sense of cheer. It is simple and yet complex in the extensive variety of color combinations available. As we took in each new color combination, I thought how each was just as beautiful as the last. Even in looking at thousands of these flowers, I was not bored, but intrigued with the reflection of our Creator to be found in this simple, but exquisite flower.

I used to think that God had included so much in beauty, variety and vastness in His creation in order to display, in some small measure, a proof of His greatness to the world. While His creation definately accomplishes this, I am now aware that God, in no way, shape, or form, needs to prove His greatness. He is God. He is great. It is because of God's greatness that He creates in the manner He does. His creation does not make Him great, His creation is as it is because He is great. God's creation was not made to reflect Him. God's creation reflects Him because He created it. This may seem like a logistical clarification - but it is an important one. If all God created was only for the purpose of proving His greatness, it could be limited to a certain number of creative acts that would be sufficient to prove the point. However, God's creation is not limited in this way. God's creation has a variety and depth of beauty unparalleled by the the whole of all artistic works produced by man over all of time. God's creation has such diversity and variety that one could not begin to discover the full spectrum of all He has made in the span of the entirety of time. God's creation, in its vastness, is (simply put) beyond human comprehension. God's creation is what it is because God is who He is.

So, what does all the grandeur, the limitless wonder, and the majestic vastness of God's creation have to do with the pansy? Just this, it takes all of creation to give us a glimpse at the reflection of our great God. The pansy through its simplisity and beauty reflects to us a momentary breath of the rest and refreshment ultimately found in God alone. The vast variety of pansies reflects only a hint of God's limitless creative power. The detail in the artistry of the pansy gives us a fleeting reflection of the completeness of God and His work. Our delight in the endless array of these simple flowers with their exquisite beauty lends us only a glimpse of the endless wonder there is for the soul whose only pursuit is to continually be in the presence of God.

Are You Obsessed By Something?

"Who is the man that fears the Lord?"
Psalm 25:12

"The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God. If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives - not concerns, tribulations, nor worries. To be obsessed by God is to have an effective barricade against all the assaults of the enemy."

Oswald Chambers

What better way to begin a family endeavor, such as a blog, than with a reminder to ourselves of what is truly important. It is important to be continually reminded of the precious Source of the ever pervading peace that blankets our lives; the only One worthy of the focus of all our attention and energies; He, alone, Who is great enough to be our never-ending obsession, the One true God, our God. Let us not be distracted with the petty concerns and trials of this temporal life. Our days here are but a journey; a journey to be embraced with its many joys, trials, surprises and heartaches - a tool in the hand of our loving Father as He creates in us an ever clearer portrait of the character of Christ in preparation for a destination that is already secure, our eternal home.

May we be obsessed with God alone - Diana