Strawberry Sensation

Big Mama is having a hard time staying cool in the Texas heat. Heating up the oven to cook dinner also heats up the whole kitchen and elevates the grumpy factor. I totally speak that language. She's having a summer recipe carnival over on her blog, and she's looking for something that won't warm up her house. I'm obliging (that's a big Southern word we use here in Texas) by posting a recipe for a frozen dessert my family loves 'cuz who doesn't like dessert? Expecially a COLD dessert on a HOT day!

Strawberry Sensation

4 C fresh strawberries, divided
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (I use fat free)
1/4 C lemon juice
1 12 oz tub Cool Whip, thawed, divided (I use lite)
12 Oreo cookies (I use reduced fat)
1 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

Line the inside of an 8x4 inch loaf pan with foil, extending the edges down over the sides and ends of the pan. Mash 2 cups of the strawberries in a large bowl. Stir in condensed milk and lemon juice. Fold in 2 cups of the whipped topping. Pour into foil-lined pan. Finely chop oreo cookies (can do this part in the food processor). Combine with melted butter and spoon over the whipped mixture in the pan. Cover the cookie mixture with ends of foil (and a little extra foil, if all is not covered). Press cookie mixture into whipped mixture through the foil. Freeze 6 hours or until firm. Invert onto serving plate when ready to serve. Remove pan and peel away foil. Spread remaining whipped topping onto top and sides. Slice remaining two cups strawberries and arrange on dessert plates. Store leftovers in freezer. Makes 12 servings (or six REALLY big servings for two people!).

Enjoy!

Is It Wrong?

On Father's Day, my family got together for lunch after church. Then we all took naps, because... isn't that what you're SUPPOSED to do on Sunday afternoon? (If it isn't, please don't tell me. It would scar me for life.) After all the good little boys and girls awoke from our naps, we gathered over here at Casa de Castro for some fellowship and food. You know, chips and sandwiches and the like.

My momma made tuna salad. Lotsa people make tuna salad. But my ma? She makes gggooooooooooddddd tuna salad. Apparently during our six years of marriage, Studly Man had never overdosed on had my mom's tuna salad. And that? Well, that's a crime.

He mentioned s.e.v.e.r.a.l. times how good her tuna salad was.

Me? I took the hint.

Night before last when I was making the grocery list, I said, "I'll get the stuff and make you some tuna salad." His response: "Like your mom's?????"

"Yes, dear. Like my mom's."


Geez.


Now Studly Man has some hobbies. One of them is fishing. In fact, he'd rather fish than breathe. Okay, probably not really, but close. Tomorrow, he and Paul, his buddy since the first grade, are going fishing at a great big lake north of here. He's so excited, he can hardly stand it. When I got home from work tonight, he had the car packed. He announced he'd be going to bed around 9:00 p.m. since he'd be getting up around 3:00 a.m. My response: "Are you sleeping in the guest room?"

He is.

Now being the thoughtful wife I am, I decided I'd whip up a batch of Ma's Special Tuna Salad just for the fishing trip.

And then....

it occurred to me.

Is that right? Is it ethical? Is it moral? Dare I contribute to the trauma of a striper bass?

It would be kind of ironic. There's Studly sitting in the boat, line in the water, cool drink next to him and a tuna fish sandwich in his hand. Mr. Striper Bass swims up to the boat and sees his cousin, well, um... IN Studly's sandwich. Studly takes a big 'ole bite and says to him, "Mr. Striper Bass, have no fear. All ya hafta do is swim over here, hop on this little hook I've got for ya, and I'll eat you on a pretty little sandwich, too."

Is that wrong?

Maybe Jessica Simpson could help me make chicken sandwiches. I did get Chicken of the Sea. And that IS tuna, right?

Break Up to... Make Up....

Can't you just hear The Stylistics singing?



It seems Samson can.



Perhaps he's forgiven Studly Man for the, um, scalping.





He's either forgiven his daddy or needs to snuggle up with him for some extra warmth! Either way, they're pretty cute.

I'm keeping them.

Haircuts and Bratwurst

Every now and then (actually pretty frequently), Studly Man will volunteer to do for me something really, really thoughtful and helpful. You know, run an errand, bring me Starbucks at work, or slay that big dragon hiding under the bed. On Tuesday, he told me he had made an appointment with the groomer for Samson. He was even going to drop him off for me and pick him up, too. What a sweet guy!


Little did I know he had hatched an evil plan.



He took Sam in and gave the instructions for what he wanted. He said, "I want him to be bald when I pick him up."




They complied.

Please Daddy, PLEASE don't make me go back to that stylist!

Don't ever do that to me again, you big meanie!


I hope all the other dogs in the park don't make fun of me. My poor baby now LOOKS like the "mouse" his daddy says he is! Studly SWEARS Samson will be happier this way, what with this h.o.t. Texas summer we're havin', and it isn't even officially SUMMER yet. Shiloh keeps looking at him while wondering who he is and where Samson went.

To make up for it (okay, not really - it was a coincidence), Studly decided to grill some lamb chops and bratwurst on the grill and let the kids have a taste.


Our children, our beggars.

If ya gotta have a goofy looking 'do, at least negotiate some bratwurst outta the deal.

Next time Studly volunteers to "help" me, somebody remind me to say "No, thanks!"

;)

God's Handiwork in My Kitchen

Amazing and Amazed

Sometimes I'm startled by how hard the enemy works to keep us from experiencing the miracles of God. And then I'm amazed at how God works in spite of him... and in spite of us. I have to work on that second part - I never want to STOP being amazed by God's power, but then again, why I am ever "amazed" any more after a lifetime of watching Him do amazing things? Interesting conundrum.

After the enemy's attempts at stopping (or at least stalling) the prison event on Saturday, it was awesome to see what God did. In addition to having four brand new shiny volunteers added to the team, we also had the privilege of having Studly Man's dad come in with us for the very first time ever. Since he lives ten hours away, it has been hard to schedule an event when he'd be in town. But this time, it happened. His concept of what we do in the prisons was, to say the very least, a far cry from actually happens. Now he is able to understand more of what we do, and more importantly, why we do it. He's always been very proud of his firstborn, but this experience elevated that to untold levels. I'm glad for Studly. The most common denominator among the incarcerated kids we see is an absentee father. Absenteeism can take many forms: absent from the home, absent from the child's life in any capacity, present in the home but absent from the child emotionally, or some combination. That made the public expression of Studly's dad's pride even more precious.

So many things occur on each one of these visits. It is so hard to pick out just one or even two that impact me each time because SO many things do. However, this event was a little different. There was one precious child who stole my heart.

As I shared my story (including parts I will not ever post here), one young girl began sobbing. She told me later it was as if I was telling HER story. As I tried to comfort and encourage her, she begged for help. She was desperate, and she was speaking out for the very first time. She needs several different kinds of help. Her mother doesn't understand (or believe) what she says, and therefore has never done anything to help her daughter. I was able to impress upon this young girl to keep.asking.for.help. until she gets what she needs, even if it means asking many different people. One of the guards, who thankfully is a Believer, came over and took notes. I believe my new friend WILL get the help she needs now.

Seeing her downtrodden face and sad eyes, I remembered walking the road she now travels. The fear was so real, I could taste it. The memories, so fresh, it was as if it had all happened to me just last week even though it has been more than 20 years. But I was able to give her a glimmer of hope and share with her how the Lord had grown me through my darkest days and delivered me to a life of hope and joy and blessing. For the first time in her life, she imagined that she also could heal and that her healing would begin... in prison.

Isn't that interesting? God used incarceration as a way station along this girl's journey to facilitate the help she needs. While she is locked up, she is being protected from who and what hurts her. For the first time, she was able to be grateful... grateful... for her current circumstances. She is learning that not all people in the world have hurting her as their primary goal. She is learning how to determine who is trustworthy and how to give voice to her pain. She is asking questions about how to "get on with life" and how to forgive those who have wronged her. She is listening to the Truth for the very first time.

And all because the enemy's attempts at derailing my commitment to be there were thwarted by an almighty, all-knowing, loving, merciful God Who knew this little girl needed to hear my story.


I'm amazed.

Defeating a determined enemy

In the morning, Studly Man and I will be leading a team of 25 volunteers into our local juvenile prison.

We are strangely delighted by the horrendous week we've had. (We're delighted NOW... it took a few days to get that way.)

Let me explain.

Studly's sister is an amazing artisan. She left her job as a chemical engineer after adopting four amazing kids, and she has replaced her income by selling her art. (Those kids are seven, seven, six and five now - pray for her!!) She lives near Austin, and we're here in Dallas. There is a huge art festival here this weekend. Her husband is at another huge art festival in Santa Fe selling her art, so he couldn't travel with her and help her during the show here. That means that Studly's parental units had to drive five hours from Brownsville (FAR south Texas) up to Austin, pick up Sister and her wares, and drive four and a half more hours to Dallas to check in at Casa de Castro.

While I was at the grocery store last night at about 9:40, they arrived. Which was after we'd returned from my parents' 55th anniversary dinner/party thingy that I planned. Which was after I got home from the dentist. Which was after I broke a tooth by chewing my night guard in half. Which was after Studly spent three hours on his hands and knees or a ladder frantically trying to get blood (lots o' blood) off the walls, ceiling and just-professionally-cleaned-seven-days-ago carpet before his family arrived for the weekend. Which was after Shiloh sliced her tail and then wagged it briskly for say, oh, an hour or more while no one was home, slinging blood all.over.the.place. Which was after Studly delivered his brand spanking new project to his potential first buyer. Which was after a very long and sleepless night preparing for the delivery of said new project. Which was after a spat we had over who would unload the dishwasher. Which was after I spilled a half gallon of milk on the freshly mopped floor.

This was in a 24-hour-period.

There's SO much more for the previous 48 hours, but my fingers are tired. Use your imagination.

Why? WHY are we delighted that we had such a horrendous week? We've learned a simple truth.

satan (yes, not capitalized on purpose) doesn't waste his time attacking where God is not at work. Why would he? If there is no threat that God's kingdom will be added unto, glorified, honored or built up, satan will focus his efforts elsewhere.

God must have really big plans in store for this weekend....



We're rejoicing. We weren't earlier in the week because we'd had a momentary lapse of reason, but we are now.

Please remember our team and the kids we'll minister to in your prayers.