Sleep Strike

Kieren is on a sleep strike.  We are in the heart of the battle.  Her battle cry is 'AHHHH!'  Or 'more!!'  (more what, we don't know).  Or 'uppie!!' (she wants us to pick her up).  Last night she was awake from about 1am to 6am.  Yeah....  About that.

So today should be interesting.  Casey was up with her most of the night, but I too jumped into the war at times.  Not sure if anything we say or do will be intelligible, but we'll keep you posted.

On another note, Ntokozo is HOME!  We picked her up from the Cape Town bus station Saturday afternoon.  She has been gone for about 5 weeks, and is a bit shy with us, but slowly opening up more.  One thing that has really helped is that Kieren is REALLY HAPPY she is home.  She keeps running to her and hugging her legs, kissing her, and shouting for her 'sissy' to come throughout the house.  It is adorable.  Makes the sleep war hard because she is so stinkin cute the rest of the day. 

But we parents WILL BE VICTORIOUS!

We will not back down!  (too much....)

We will not give in!  (tonight, for sure, last night was hard...)

We will win this war!  (Please God we hope!  We need sleep!!  We are not as cute and funny as Kieren, just grumpy and old, so we can't get by like this!!  Lord help us!!).

And together let us say, "Lord, hear our prayers." 

"Amen"

Lots of love,
Sarah

Home - Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros Acoustic Cover (Jorge & Alex...

Book Review: The Grace of God

Just finished reading "The Grace of God" by Andy Stanley.  This book kind of surprised me with how much I liked it.  I received it from a competition on Michael Hyatt's blog (he's the CEO of the publisher, Thomas Nelson).  Even though I love Andy's preaching and leadership, I wasn't as excited as I should have been about the book.  I'm not even sure why.  And it even started a bit slow, but man did it pick up speed!!

It's such a great look at God's grace from creation all the way through to the beginning of the church.  We mistakenly link grace to Jesus and the New Testament, but Andy shows how it was there from the beginning of God's story.  He does such a great job at taking stories we may be familiar with and showing us how God's grace was filling that story.  He shows you context, history, and details in those stories that you didn't know about before.
Finally, he finishes with how grace should impact the church.  The final chapters are a bit haunting in how we operate in the church.  Grace should certainly be the mark of Jesus' church.  As Andy says, "The church is most appealing when the message of grace is most apparent."  If our churches will dish out grace like warm biscuits than the world will desire it.  But too many of our churches look inwardly, focus on the 'law', and create churches for church people.  Hear just this one last thought, "Like every church, we fight the gravitational pull toward creating a church for church people.  But that's a fight worth getting involved in.  It's a fight more and more churches are undertaking.  But I don't understand why every church wouldn't determine to become a church for unchurched people."  That's stinging to me.
Well, I'd recommend this book to anybody.  If you're not sure what you think about grace, explore it here.  If you've struggled receiving grace, or giving it, this book is for you.  If you're a church leader, this book is for you.  It's easy to read, paints a great picture, challenges, and encourages.

Overall Grade: A

Casey

Friends

Thinking this morning about how blessed we are to share this crazy incredible time in our lives with so many people we love.  

We have such an eclectic mix of friends, many colors, shapes, and sizes.  Things are similar to back in the States where we LOVE people so many, many of them fill our lives.  This year Casey and I are both writing up clear goals for the year, and one of mine is to make sure I focus on those friendships here that are really life-giving and fun.  There are a few of those for sure, and so those ladies are actually on my goal list to make sure I don't forget to carve out special time with them!  Yesterday, we went to our friends' Mark and Kate new house to help them move furniture (but we were late and missed helping.... missed isn't really the right word...) and then our other friends Wayne and Laural were also there who just returned from a trip to the US.  We talked until it got dark while Kieren 'penguin' toddled back from the guys to girls repeatedly (she has a walk that frighteningly resembles a penguin, but now it is also a penguin dance, so that's cool).  It was simple and lovely.  It was what life has to be about if you are really going to get through all the bumps and bruises and it's who you celebrate when the great moments pop up surprisingly.  I love friendship and am excited that it will be a focus of this year.  Hope you also have special people to share your life with; there is almost nothing better.

Lots of love,

Sarah

New For You

Another (not near as important) newsflash.

We have made some simple changes to our blog that will allow you to respond more to our brilliant diatribes.  At the bottom you can now check a quick response that would be hilarious, deep, inspiring, or not cool.  Check one when you read - would love to hear your thoughts!  Also, now ANYONE can post comments to our blog!  Yes!  You don't need a 'google' account.  Just click on the 'number' of comments at bottom of post, and then you can either log onto your goggle account OOORRRR just click the 'anonymous' button and hollar at us!  Can't wait to hear from more of you!

Lots of love,
Sarah

Newsflash

As if we don't ask for enough we have another thing you can be praying for us about.  I got rear-ended by a taxi van yesterday.  I'm fine, Kieren didn't even wake up from her nap, but it did kind of scare me and it messed up the car a bit.  I had never been hit that hard, so it took me a while to catch my breath, and I was sure that the car was crushed.  But it turned out to be a scratched bumper, a puncture in the bumper, and a broken taillight.  The guy who owns the taxi is supposed to pay for it, but I'm sure I'm going to have to stay on him about it!  The taxi owners don't have insurance so it's going to have to come out of his pocket.  You can be praying for that.

Last week some of you may have noticed that on facebook/twitter that I had posted about us experiencing some serious fraud and identity theft.  Well, you can keep praying about that, too.  Seems our card was skimmed and then cloned at an ATM here.  Basically these dudes put a fake face plate on the ATM that has a scanner that reads your car info as it goes into the real ATM.  From there they made a fake version of our card, took it to Johannesburg and spent over $8,000 over a 7 day period at Christmas.  They had a Merry Christmas!!  Seems to be a big racket with people here stealing the info, people there buying the stuff, people in the stores letting them buy with a fake card, and then people selling the stuff in markets.  I've made a case with the police here, so hopefully they will actually put the time & resources into it.  I haven't heard anything from our bank in the States, but we're hopeful that we'll be protected and get all that money back.  So, pray for grace & mercy with the Credit Union and justice with the police in South Africa.  


Like Sarah said recently, we've really come against some challenges this past year, but it's amazing how peaceful we are in Him.  Most of this stuff doesn't really bother me it sort of just rolls off my back.  We are dealing with it, but just not stressed, because God is our provider & protector.  


We would cherish your prayers, though!


Casey

Christmas Day Highlights

Holy Hot

Holy Hot Africa Day

.

Seriously.  I know you can't understand this because most of you reading this are still digging yourselves out from sweet Christmas snows, but here in South Africa is is crazy hot.  It's not really humid.  Just hot.  The air is hot.  Are we on the sun?  Yesterday at one point of deep misery (aided by my most recent sinus infection and migraine... they are my new stalkers) I was sure it was the apocalypse and Christ was coming back.  So I had a margarita.  Is that normal?  Today it was just as hot but the antibiotics finally began to kick in so I could go back to being a 'normal' (haha) person.  We have to work early in the mornings or late at night otherwise our brains are melting and our fingers sticking to the keyboards.  Casey and I are learning though, and went to McDonalds, seriously the only air conditioned place nearby, to work this afternoon and made Granny stay at our house while Kieren slept.  I felt a little bad, but then I took a sip of my ice cold Coke and washed away the guilt.

Did I mention it's hot?  Well this is also compounded by the fact that South Africans 'don't believe' in air conditioning.  When you ask them about it they say that they don't need it and it's a waste and then turn it into some argument against the wastefulness of America.  But really people.

It's like the days in Mexico, Grace friends...

Those hot summer days where you are covered in sweat when you wake up.  Then you eat breakfast, wiping the sweat from your brow.  Then you build a house, but expecting to sweat, so it's fine until you faint a few times.  Then you return to the colonia to take a cold shower and cool down, which you definitely do, until you turn the water off.  And then you sweat again AS YOU ARE DRYING OFF.  Then you sweat through dinner, and sweat as you lay in bed with the fan next to you facing you.

My new best friend

Remember that?  It's like that.

Except for you don't have the songs, or spagetti night, or Woo, or Spanish speakers, or late night taco runs.... ahhh now I'm sad.

You do have ninos, but they are just kids who speak english and affrikaans.  You have music blaring everywhere and the faint smell of marijuana in the air.  You do have popsicles and Coca-Cola.  You do have sunburns and smells.  And did I mention sweat?  I did?  Good.  Because you sweat.

But still, it's a beautiful life and we love it.  Kieren is LOVING the ocean now and just laughs uncontrollably as the waves hit her.  She is obsessed with her 'Dora' sunglasses and even wore them to the gym day-care today.

Now back to sweating.  Talk to you later.

Love,
Sarah

"Look for yourself and you will find loneliness & 

despair. But look for Christ and you will find 

Him and everything else."

-CS Lewis

Passion 2011

We are having a pretty incredible moment right now.  If you're not aware, 22,000 college students have gone to Atlanta for a gathering called Passion.  They are there to seek the face of Jesus and to live for His fame alone.  Tons of students that we have loved over the years are there with our group from Grace Community Church and their college ministries.
We have been trying this week to watch the sessions, but because our internet is quite spotty we never could watch one.  We've kept up on twitter and from a few texts from friends there.  But tonight we were able to watch the final session (from Louie's talk onward) while we ate our dinner here in South Africa.
It's an incredible moment because of the role that Passion has played in our journey with Jesus and getting us to this place.  I first attended a Passion event at One Day in 2000 and Sarah and I have been groupies ever since.  The more important thing than having some people or events to follow has been the way that Jesus has spoken into our hearts through them.  From that first time on the field in Memphis I knew that I would one day being doing what we're doing now.  And each time we were there our hearts continued to be broken for the world, for the 'least of these', and for the Name of Jesus to reign.  So here we are, trying to love the people of South Africa in unique ways that draw them to Jesus.  And we do it all while our little penguin baby that has drawn with marker all over herself walks, dances, and sings her way around our kitchen.   We're overwhelmed with what Jesus is doing in the world and that He allows us to be even a small part of it.  Thanks to Passion for speaking the name of Jesus in such profound ways that we couldn't help but move and 'carry' it here.

Casey

Celebrating

Last week I was able to see my busy friend and ministry partner, Danielle.  This is a woman who is CERTAINLY glad to ring in the year 2011 and write a new season of history.  The year 2010 began for Danielle trying to clean up her life after an abusive altercation with her husband and the decision to finally divorce him and start a new life with her three kids.  Over this year she continued her work at the most highly respected pre-school in Ocean View, finished her work at a local college in continuing education for elementary education, moved from her house to a 'Wendy house' (like a wooden tool-shed where people live in this community) and furnished the new home for her and her kids (her husband remains living alone in their 3 bedroom home).  It has been an extremely difficult year, but this woman always has a smile on her face, laughter in her voice, and praise to God in her heart.  She truly is grateful for each day God gives her and never lives as a victim but always makes the best of whatever she has.  We talked for months about when she would finally finish her extra college work and how we would celebrate, and she wanted to go to a winery to wine taste.  So last week we did just that, all dressed up, to celebrate HER!  She realized she doesn't even like wine (!) but we had a great day just talking and soaking up the summer day.  Danielle is a hero to me, a woman who exemplifies the life and love of Jesus Christ even when life is stormy and dark.  I am so proud of this woman and can't wait to see what this new year holds for her!

Lots of love,
Sarah

Book Review- Message Remix: Solo

This whole year of 2010, yes EVERY DAY, I did a devotional from this book "The Message/Remix: Solo".  It works you straight through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.  (Meant I was reading Revelation at Christmas, which was a little strange.)  It provides a larger text for you to read from your own Bible, then a focused, shorter part of the same text from The Message/Remix, some questions to consider, guides for your prayer time, and then steps to take that day.  It was a really helpful process for this year.  Every 7th day is a day of reflection that looks back over the previous 6 days.  Took about 15-20 minutes to do each day, which could be lengthened or shortened depending on the time & attention you give each step.  (It was perfect for my morning ______ time!)
If you're interested in a daily devotional that you can use all year, this is a great resource.  It's ideal for folks 16-25 years old, so since I'm still 25 it was perfect for me!  :)

Overall Grade: A-

Casey

Happy New Year!

WOW.  I mean WOW.  Today is one of the first days of 2011.  We will never have this year back again.  Someone on the radio said on the last day of 2010 to make this day count, but I thought, it seems a bit late if you REALLY have things you wanted to accomplish this year, right?  I didn't do an extensive goal list for this past year, but I always aim that each year will be better and stronger than the last, and this one didn't disappoint.  When I look back at 2010 it will have many memorable moments, and others that I will always try to forget.  Kieren's burn accident is of course one of most defining experiences of the year, but our friend Kelly Kosky also lost his leg in a bicycle accident, we traveled to the USA to see friends and family and raise money, spoke at youth camps, deepened our relationships in Ocean View, launched a new part of the vision for Ubuntu Sports, had a brick through our window and items stolen from our home, watched Kieren grow in life and joy, and recently were the unfortunate victims of identity theft ($8000 lighter thanks to that!).  Really, it's been a challenging year overall and we were forced to our knees before God time and time again.  Obviously this isn't a bad thing, and for us it's been a beautiful process of humbling ourselves before God in a way we have never known.  We are closer with our God, stronger in our faith, bonded in new ways as a family, and have a completely new love and gratefulness for life.  As we were reflecting on the challenges of the year, what is striking to both Casey and I is that we don't FEEL like it's been a hard year because we are happy and feel blessed.  Jesus has certainly taken our burdens and replaced them with His heart and vision for this world.  We see problems and need, some our own but most of those around us, but we know only God is big enough for them, but He is more than enough.  He is great enough and mighty enough and we might have never known that in so many personal ways without the hardships of this year.  I am certain we wouldn't.

We have shared a year with all of you and it's been such an honor and privilege that you have logged onto our blog day after day to follow our stories, pray for us, and join in this adventure.  We are eternally grateful for your support and friendship and feel you along this ride with us.  We are in a fresh year, and someone said at church yesterday, that 2011 has never happened in history before and it's our time to write it.  The opportunities are endless, the possibilities mind blowing.  The Prince family runs into this new year so excited about what God has ahead.  We are happy and full of life because of our God, and we pray His richest blessings on your life, as well.

Lots of love,
Sarah

Photo courtesy of BluePlanet

New Years Eve Hike

This New Year's Eve I decided to do something different and planned a hike up a mountain in Stellenbosh (wine country) for the sunset of our last day of 2010.  Our fun friends Mark and Kate Chittendon came along, we packed some great picnic food, and went on our way.  Some of the hike was through the vineyards and then up the mountain we went.  It turned out to be MUCH MORE than we bargained for, a VERY difficult hike of over 11kms, but once at the top it was so worth it!  A great challenge and a lot of fun!

Kate and Casey starting out our hike through the vineyards

The view over the vineyards and that mountain is what we hiked - all the way to the top!!

We FINALLY made it to the top, and here is the sun setting on a beautiful New Years Eve night.

Happy and windblown...

An African sunset; there is nothing like it.

We were SHATTERED after our hike back down, but felt so happy and accomplished.   An incredible way to end 2010, with an adventure!  Hope your year also ended beautifully!

Lots of love,

Sarah

Upside-down Christmas

Well we are a couple days out from Christmas now, and it's hard to believe how fast my favorite holiday of the year comes and goes!  Now the countdown begins until Christmas 2011!  We had a relaxing day yesterday at home, Casey did a CRAZY trail/mountain run with some guy friends, we had a pool party and braai with our 'connect group' - mostly American families who we live near, and then had a quiet night at home.  I love these long summer days; they feel lazy and sweaty, and then breezy and cool and happy at night.  So wonderful.

We caught up all day with friends and family (here and through afar through email and skype) and shared about our CRAZY Christmas many times.  It has been so interesting to reflect on Christmas this year, and what this holiday is evolving into for us.  It is especially meaningful coming to this holiday and the end of the year living in Ocean View, and celebrating with our 'family' there that Jesus is born among us once again.  In Ocean View it's a time of celebration and party - people save up all year to have a huge meal and a great time.  On Christmas night, LATE into the night, people are roaming the streets, shouting, dancing, and still celebrating.  Not all the celebration is 'sober' but it's all happy nonetheless :)

Everyone asks how Kieren liked Christmas this year, did she enjoy Santa, etc.  What is hilarious is without meaning to, we completely made Christmas NOT about Kieren!  My parents had sent a box of presents that were wrapped, but because customs went through them, one was ripped and I could see the cute face of a 'Dora the Explorer' doll waiting to be Kieren's new best friend.  We get Nickelodeon and Disney channels here, but Kieren LOOOOVES Dora and is pretty much obsessed with it.  We have to majorly limit tv around here because that girl could watch it for days!  We will get to the rest of the presents some day, the goal is to open them all before Christmas 2011 :)  There is really no need to hurry because she is so happy with what she has already and it's so much more than any kids in our area - a dose of perspective goes a long way.

I am so thankful for our Christmas this year and I feel like God really helped me to focus on this year and soak up all the moments.  It was beautiful and celebratory and holy in all the right ways.  We created new traditions and spent time with people that we love.  We will always miss our family and friends who are not with us on these special days, but we are so grateful that God is creating another family here to be with us and share these days.

Lots of love,
Sarah

picture courtesy of interiordesignonadime.com