How long have you been at UPC?

Since early August 2008

Where are you originally from?

Aurora, Nebraska - raised in a small farm town in central Nebraska

What are some of your hobbies and/or interests?

I love to talk heart-to-heart over a latte at Starbucks.  I enjoy my morning jogs and now that I’m in Florida some morning swims, I love being with my hubby and our 3 kids, I love to travel and play the piano, watch college football and listen to music.  Oh, and I love the seasons.   I also love studying the Scriptures!

What’s your favorite dessert?

Tiramisu

Favorite TV show?

hmmm, maybe Divine Design

What are you involved with at UPC?

We’re so new, I’m not sure yet.  I enjoy women’s ministry and hospitality things

How have you seen God work in your life recently?

I’ve seen Him consistently meet me in the midst of our transition to Florida life.  He has sweetly met me in the Word and in prayer and really used my family to be the hands and feet of His love.  I’m missing the heart friends that I left behind in North Carolina, but am grateful for the fresh reminder that heaven is my true home.  That is where I truly belong and fit.  It is “in Christ” that I have my home.  Philippians 3:20-21!

How can we be praying for you?

For my faith to be deeply planted in God as we transition to our new home here and for the gospel to be lived and breathed out in the life He’s called me to here!

This appetizer recipe comes from my aunt’s friend and I LOVE IT!!! My aunt brought this dish to my sister’s bridal and baby shower and it was a big hit. Since we live in Orlando it’s easy to find yuca, also known as cassava.

Here’s a list of ingredients:

• yuca - I get frozen yuca from Publix or Wal-Mart
• bacon
• toothpicks
• guava paste - found in the Hispanic aisle
• water

Boil the yuca for 30 minutes. Let cool and cut into bite size pieces. Wrap half a piece of bacon around it and secure with toothpick. Make as many as you want. Like baking pan with foil and place yuca on it. Bake at 450 for 30 minutes or until bacon is cooked.

Guava Sauce: Use about 1/4 of the guava paste, cut into pieces and melt in saucepan. Add water as needed to desired consistency.

Yesterday’s sermon was the second part of a two-week series on marriage.  It focussed on the husband’s role in the marriage and laid out the husband’s calling, his weakness, and his power.  I missed the sermon for the wife last week, so I’ll have to go back and listen, but hearing the message yesterday was a blessing and encouragement for my marriage.  I really liked the challenge to take part in The Marriage Prayer as well.

One thing that I found particularly interesting is that Mike pointede out that a lazy, unresponsive, and neglectful husband can be just as harsh to his wife as a domineering, controlling husband.  I thought this was a very good point (one that is not talked about often), and Mike preaching boldly about it is sure to challenge many men of our church in their area of weakness.  Praise to God who is our power for our marriage and life!

If you weren’t at church yesterday, you can listen to the sermon here.

We all have favorites. Favorite books, favorite movies, favorite color. You get the idea. This Friday I want to know what’s your favorite article of clothing? Don’t be shy!

Mine - my hubby’s (now mine) flannel pajama bottoms. I’m always cold so I practically wear them year round. And they are so soft and comfy. Love ‘em.

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Midwives by Chris Bohjalian was an Oprah’s Book Club pick back in 1998, so it’s got to be good, right? Well, I haven’t read every book that Oprah has chosen for her club, but all the ones I have read so far have been good!

A caution: don’t read it while pregnant. It’s about a respected lay midwife in Vermont who finds herself in this nightmarish situation: she’s been called to a patient’s (or is it client’s?) house during a winter storm. The strom worsens and there’s absolutely no way to go for help when complications develop and the mother dies before delivering. Sybil, the midwife, knows that the baby is still alive and needs to be delivered in order to survive, so she decides to perform a c-section – without anesthetic, of course, because she has none and the mother is dead anyway. Or is she? What follows is the trial of Sybil Danforth, which looks into whether her client really was dead at the time, or if Sybil inadvertently killed her. Between the small town’s upheavel, the growing antagonism of the medical community toward lay midwives, and Sybil’s own shifting thoughts of what went on that icy night, this book will grip you – I couldn’t put it down – but now you see why you really shouldn’t read it if you’re pregnant!