Things are going well on this side of the ocean!  I'm missing the hot weather, but in time, it will come.  

Things have been typically non-eventful lately, as life always is after you have some super-charged experience, like InsideOut launch and a team from North Point here.  But, it's been nice to take some time and relax.  Unfortunately, I've come down with a bit of a head cold today, so I've been bed-ridden for most of the afternoon and evening.  Matt's done an excellent job taking care of me, making me lunch and serving me dinner as well.  It's novel to him to take care of a sick wife...so he's soaking it all up (much to my benefit!).  

After the North Point team left, Matt and I took some time to enjoy the scenery in Cape Town.  First, we went hiking in the woods together, and this past Monday, we trekked up Lion's Head.  The day was beautiful, and it was 70 degrees outside, a nice change from the cold, wintery weather.  

Last night, Matt and I went to an italian restaurant called Magica Roma and our meal was spectacular!  We used a gift certificate that Matt received for his birthday, which was very nice.  We also used some birthday money from my parents to go to this really cool pizza place.  Thanks to the generosity of others, we've had a few really nice dinners in the past 2 weeks.  

We're gearing up for our next IO (InsideOut) on the 14th of August, which is pretty exciting!  We have some great ideas that are already being implemented, and let's just say it's going to be quite a fun night.  Make sure to get the word out about the next IO to everyone you know!  You don't want to miss it...and frankly, I'm ready for Matt's head to be shaved :)  I think he'll look really cute.   

I've gotten quite a bit of reading done in the past week.  I finished up Wright last week (finally...but it was so worth it) and I read a book about a woman who escaped from the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saint group that was previously led by Warren Jeffs.  The book is titled "Escape" and it's by Carolyn Jessop if anyone is interested in reading it.  It is quite a fascinating story.  For any Jon Krakauer fans (Into Thin Air...a great story, too!), it should be known that he writes the review on the back cover of the book.  It reads very much like one of his books...an account of truth that reads like fiction.  Quite entertaining, if I do say so myself.  

I found myself at the end of the book feeling skeptical and cynical of the concept of organized religion.  The propaganda that the FLDS used to entrap these women is absolutely scandalous.  It's hard to see any shred of the love, grace, and forgiveness that overflows in every message of Jesus in the fanatical extremism portrayed in this book.  It has led me back to praying that God lead us to teaching and practicing truth in our lives.  

Now, I'm onto a George MacDonald book.  It was one Matt bought me for our one year anniversary when we were dating.  Finally, I'm getting around to reading it.  :)  

Well...this is the mundane of life.  Sorry I can't wow any readers with an exciting story, as I'm sure many of you cannot either : ) But Oswald Chambers puts it better than I ever could...

"We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises—human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God—but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people—and this is not learned in five minutes."