Life Hack Chicken Tenders

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My mom-in-law's life hack-

Place frozen, yes frozen, chicken tenders in a nonstock skillet, season, cover, and cook on low until done. This made the tenderest, juiciest chicken, AND it's convenient! 

Thanks, Mama Jane! 

Samson - Caught in the Act

The Joy of the LORD is Your Strength

Today’s personal lesson leads me to one learned by the people in Jerusalem at around 400 BC. History is wonderful because it holds records of people like us who lived and strained and overcame (or not). Travel back in time with me to imagine this brief scenario for a minute.

The people of Jerusalem had been captives in Babylon long enough to forget their native language of Hebrew. Now exiled and with the priest, Ezra, standing above them on a special wooden platform he built just for this occasion, they hear him read the words of the Hebrew Law at this public assembly, where the Levites translate it for them. For the first time, many hear and understand God's teachings through the Law and begin to wail and to weep. Surprisingly, they are told to be silent with their lamenting and advised to rejoice in their deliverance - not only a physical one, but evidently a spiritual one too. 

Ezra, the priest, exhorts them: “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our LORD. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD is your strength!” - Nehemiah 8:10 Purim is born. 

Thank God He is not a god of gloom and doom! Being sinful by old nature does not exempt us from also partaking in God's goodness by our new nature in  Him. In fact, the truth is the opposite of what you would expect. The more sinful we have been, the more reason for rejoicing to get past it! Even in mere rejoicing we are repenting, turning our attention to the Father and feasting in the greatness of His goodness that delivers us from ourselves. 

Sometimes our temptation is to remain downtrodden, or worse yet, to presume that someone else should be that way; yet God, in His merciful ways that are not like our ways, comes in and declares it time for a feast of joy! 

In short, today's lesson for me is this:

If, when we are enlightened by God's word that we are living in error, we forget to rejoice in God's strength that delivers us, then we forsake the very purpose of repentance itself - the fullness of joy through our deliverance.  

Stated positively:

If, when we are enlightened by God's word as to how we should be living, we embrace it and return, then we receive the fullness of joy, within which God intends for us to live daily.

Front Porch Pet

Meet thamnophis marcianus - aka the front-porch, checkered gartersnake or Mouse and Rat Patrol.  If you look closely, you can see a lump from a recent meal. Within this same area we have also seen a coral snake and water snake or water moccasin (we didn't get close enough to tell), so we're glad to see this docile and more harmless creature take up residence. 

Gartnersnakes are good for the environment surrounding one's home because they eat bugs and mice. These grow to be up to four feet long and live up to ten years. We're hoping our little buddy here stays and even starts a family.

Spider

Does anyone know what kind of spider this is? 

Dog of the Month ~ Spice

Spice

This is eager-to-please Spice! She is one of several hunting dogs we work with and that Robert uses to guide quail hunts. 

She's a springer spaniel born in the UK in 2003 and is still one of the best hunters even though she's up in years. Obedience is one of Spice's hallmarks of her personality, making her one of the most exercised dogs come hunting season. 

Here she is with a fresh haircut and waiting for approval for retrieving a tennis ball - a favorite pastime.  

Five Generations and a Rainbow

A rare occasion occurred here last weekend! We had gathered here FIVE generations with Great-Great Grandaddy Cooper, Great Grandpa Charlie Cooper (GGPCC), me, Landon, and Chelsea. :) 

Yesterday, I saw an entire rainbow - something that also rarely happens - so I stopped to savor the moment and remembered God's word, knowing God is in control of everything from generation to generation. I thank God for our generations of longevity, but mostly for love and the promises of God to those who walk in His love like those in my family.

"I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth." Genesis 9:13

White Dove

This is a white dove that walked up to me and was slightly injured. We answered its plea and saved it by relocating it to a tank where the dogs don't hunt. :)

A Season of Progress

I am so very grateful to God for the fullness of this season in our life. 

Take a look . . .

We connected with our family! That is me with my 93 year old Grandaddy, Dad, and brother, Chane.

This one has everyone - including my husband, Robert, step-mom Ellen, and sis-in-law Anna.

We celebrated our new grand baby on the way and our kiddos becoming parents with a "Cute as a Button" shower! Here are Erin, Landon, me, Robert, MawMaw, PawPaw, and Julie.

Miss Sweetpotootie Williams could not wait to see us all, so she arrived six weeks early! This is Mommy & Daddy's first time to see her.

David had his first skydiving experience! He's a natural.

. . . BUT he will never be able to outgrow his brother's beard and stache. :)

. . . BUT he did kill a rattle snake that was reared up to strike him. 

Quick-Draw Dave

This is our third batch of barn swallow chicks this season.

Robert inherited a very special dog whistle from the wonderful people who own this ranch. 

With the help of my step-mom and brother, I saw a picture I haven't seen in a long, long time 

- me & Daddy. 

This is our sweet babies' first family photo. They are so precious.

Mr. Boerjan, the Senior Ranch Foreman. and I dressing in a similar vein and working toward a similar end, as usual. 

The first time the quail let me pet them.

These are flowers from my son, David, and for no reason but just because. Just look at those colors.

The girls learn to do this both in the ranger and truck upon hearing us say "Load up!" Pretty cool, huh?

Robert gets a nifty vacuum prosthesis (details in a former blog).

We celebrate the Fourth of July by buying three rebuilt bikes in Austin and ride them on the ranch. Yes - Robert rides the bicycle with his prosthesis! Now, that's liberation.

Our lil sweet potootie is growing! And SO cute!

We do much landscaping and maintaining of landscaping and learn a ton about it.

We have surprise visit from precious family - Aunt Donnie & Grams.

We travel to South Texas to stay with Mr. Boerjan and pick up some heifers so we can breed them here.

We tame Francis, the donkey. The Boerjans call him Moses, so Francis-Moses.

David and Robert learn to rope with a lariat.

David and I learn much about edible plants from this expert.

I find a rare bloom just outside our back door and on this random cactus that is growing in an unplanned spot - those are always the best - the things you don't try to grow. God is showing off with this one, and the bloom was gone by that evening.

Robert figures out a way to get that left leg and his "goofy foot" into some water so we can tube the San Marcos River to celebrate our 25 year wedding anniversary early.

Robert & I with my bro, Chane, and son, David in San Marcos, Texas to celebrate.

Across the street is the old Aquarina Springs theme park I went to as a child and to the right is the boat I rode on for a tour. We all took a glass bottom boat tour of the beautiful springs, but on a new boat this time. 

This is David and Chane in the San Marcos Methodist Church where our Great Great Grandaddy Leslie Cooper and Grandma Margaret Hanson Cooper worshiped and served.

We were able to visit our family's grave site.

San Marcos is so beautiful. It was very special to tour it and to see the place where Dad and Grandaddy grew up. 

 Pictures of us in my classroom with a hat from where it all began twenty five years ago . . . Burger King. :)

David raced the Miata at the newly built Circuit of the Americas and took me for a spin on one of his six heats. Very big adrenaline rush.

We did much dirty work, but even that is rewarding when you look at the life it sustains and how nice it looks when you're done.

There is so much beauty out here. See the butterfly in the middle?

And more work to be done in between the moments of stillness.

This is our prize bull showin' tail.

This is how Robert looks after moving quail from one pen to the other. Hah.

PawPaw and lil sweet potootie cuddling.

The house full of music, pets, and our grandbaby - aka Heaven.

Grams holding Sweetpotootie. 

Chane & Anna holding Sweetpotootie. 

Our Family, including some of our furry friends

Landon & Erin learn to rope with the lariat. 

David poses so his grandma can see that he has, in fact, cut his hair. 

Rat killin' - don't mess with the quail house.

It's harvest time - tunas/cactus pears. 

Here is another gorgeous butterfly - they are everywhere here.

These are some of the thousands, and I mean thousands of honey bees that were coming to this Mexican Sage bush every morning. The sage bushes were some of the few things with so many blooms in the heat and drought, so we had what looked to be an entire hive drink on them until the blooms faded. The humming sound was incredible.

We cleared many dead trees and limbs. That felt good - kind of like cutting your nails - instant results.

We groomed some of our sweet little hunting cockers again, and they appreciated it in this heat.

I officially overcame my fear of cattle, as seen here. They know when you're at peace.

More of our beefy babies. 

We hatched over forty quail and have had all but five survive so far.  

They're called buttons. Now, I know where "cute as a button" came from - they are so adorable.

Like a boss, Josh mans the Ranger.

My sweet Mommy treats me to a pedicure, and we have a nice Girl's Day Out.

Robert and David find one cabin available, called Robert's Cabin, and book it for a last-minute father-son trip to beautiful Como, Colorado.

 

The views and the fishing are rare.

Meanwhile, back at the farm, Samson has crowned himself king.

A selfie worth a thousand words.

Another picture worth a thousand words.

And yet another one... thank You, Lord, for the miracles of life and love that we have today! 

Someone recently asked us, "So have you all had any regrets about the amputation?" Heck, no. Our life is richer and fuller than ever...thanks be to God.