You have until Sunday August 19th, to sign up for the UPC women’s retreat this year. So hurry up!

Click on the “Women’s Fall Retreat” link on the right side for more information on how to sign up.

I’m super bummed that I won’t be able to go this year. Last year was my first UPC women’s retreat and I had the best time EVER!!! No exaggeration there at all.

I met a lot of new women and it helped me to feel more involved at UPC. It wasn’t focused on mom’s like I thought it might be (I’m not a mom.) It’s for women of all ages!

So here are some reason’s why you should go to Women’s Retreat on September 28-30:

1. It’s a Beth Moore weekend retreat. We all love Beth Moore, at least I do.

2. It’s at the beach.

3. The resort is AWESOME! I’ve been there before. Not only is it on the beach but there’s also a lazy river pool as well!

4. You’ll get to know your roommates really well since the accommodations are apartment style.

5. Did I mention it’s a Beth Moore weekend?

6. The weekend theme is on “Loving Well” - learning to love other people well, especially the ones we don’t like so much. And we all have people in our lives that are difficult. If you don’t, I’d like to meet you.

7. You’ll get to know new women from UPC, and get to know better the women you already know!

8. You’re bound to learn great spiritual truths.

9. You’ll have the opportunity to hear from God.

10. It’s a weekend away to spend time with God, friends and even time alone.

Anna says “I don’t watch The Food Network and I had never heard of Paula Dean until my friend Marianne made this cake for last year’s Deacon Christmas Dinner and then again for my birthday this summer. I’ve had several of the variations listed below, and my favorite so far is the regular cake with pecans and chocolate chips on top, but this is the kicker - refrigerated. It’s great warm out of the oven but cold in the refrigerator is even better, at least with that variation.”

Paula Dean’s Gooey Butter Cakes from Anna Limber

Cake
One 18.25 ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 stick butter, melted

Filling
8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
One 16 ounce box powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Combine cake ingredients and mix well. Pat into a lightly greased 13×9 baking pan. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Add butter; beat. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Spread over cake mixture. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. You want the center to be gooey, so don’t overbake.

Variations
1. For the holidays, add a 15 ounce can of pumpkin to the filling; add some cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Add a 20 ounce can of drained crushed pineapple to the filling.
3. Use a lemon cake mix. Add lemon juice and zest to the filling.
4. Use a chocolate cake mix. Add chocolate chips and nuts on top.
5. Use a spiced carrot cake mix. Add chopped nuts and shredded carrots to the filling.
6. Use mandarin oranges, bananas, blueberries, or strawberries - just coordinate your extract flavorings.
7. Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 3/4 to 1 cup of peanut butter and nuts to the filling.

Editor’s note: Anna brought the #7 variation to our LIFE group this week, and it was delicious - thanks, Anna!

Apparently I am not as messy as I thought or feel like.

You Are a Little Messy

You aren’t the cleanest person in the world, but you’re definitely not a slob. You clean up when you have the time, but you’re realistic about what you can get done. Generally, you’re pretty organized and tidy - though you may have a few hidden messes. You eventually get around to making things spotless, but you do it on your own schedule!

Note: Patricia asked me to post this here. I originally posted it on my blog yesterday.

It’s a Sunday, i’m in Starbucks, and my pastor is moving away. So, forgive me if I’m a little more reflective than usual. (Given that I’m rarely reflective publicly, brace yourselves).

I love my church. We’re talking, love. Head over heels, till death do us part, kind of love. And no, it’s not the building. I care far too much about aesthetics to love our building. It looks Costco with a cross. Instead, it’s the people. It’s the leaders. These people get the gospel, and when you get the gospel, your life changes. Your demeanor changes. You serve. You love. And good grief, you forgive.

I have been around Christians my entire life and I could use a lot of words to describe many of them, but love would not be one of them. (Don’t think I’m pointing fingers here, either. I’m counting myself right in the thick of them.) (And if I use “them” one more time, I will fire myself and hire a new writer).

I’ve been thinking about this a long time and it comes down to this: when you get the gospel, you understand grace. Life stops being about being good enough to go to God and you start seeing where He is coming to you, even now. Life stops being about working harder and starts being about Christ working in you. And if you read nothing else, read this: when you get the gospel, you understand that you are loved more than you could ever imagine. As you are. Right now. Grace says there is nothing I can do to make God love me more, and there is nothing I can do to make God love me less. And from a girl who desperately wonders if God still loves her, this is incredible news. And by news, I mean absolute truth.