This summer was supposed to be my healthiest and fittest summer yet. Between soccer, backpacking, and training for a (half) marathon, I was preparing to be in the best shape of my life. Then (thanks to a bum ankle) all hopes and dreams were torn from my hands, only to be replaced by the dvd player remote, ice cream, and beer. Needless to say, this summer is not turning out as planned.

To get my mind off of being inactive, Katie let me run from my problems down to Kansas City for a visit, albeit short, with the one and only Aaron Nordyke, to take in a Kansas City Wizards and L.A. Galaxy game. For those that are unaware, we’re talking Major League Soccer. And not only Major League Soccer, but week two of David Beckham’s return to the L.A. Galaxy. I was excited. It was great.

But perhaps one of my favorite moments was over dinner, while Aaron and I discussed the idea of adventure. Aaron and I are somewhat kindred spirits, enjoying running and other outdoor activities. Years ago, we had started an “accountability group” (very loosely described as accountability) with some friends. Our first task was to read through the John Eldredge book “Wild At Heart.” I still think this is a great book and recommend every guy read it. We were trying to get to the heart – get it, “heart” – of what it meant to be a guy. Not only a guy, but a Christian guy. And not only a Christian guy, but a Christian guy who truly loved Jesus and wanted to be like him.

Eldredge’s premise is simple: for every man there is a battle to fight, a beauty to rescue, and an adventure to live. It’s part of how God programmed us as men, to want to fight for something, to want to win over a woman, and to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. He talks about these guys who live lives of “quiet desperation”, clocking in and out of their cubicle jobs every day while a part of them dies inside. We all need an outlet for the adventure we are designed for. I’m so thankful to have such a wonderful wife that not only acknowledges that, but encourages it.

So Aaron and I dreamed of what adventures we could live. Running expeditions in the Badlands, backpacking, finding the Tarahumara people in the mountains of Mexico. Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been couch-ridden and watching too much soccer and Long Way Round, or maybe it’s the fact that something inside me craves this adventure.

Maybe someday this ankle will get back to near-normal conditions, it’s still hard to tell what’s ankle, what’s foot, and what’s swelling. For now, I’ll just lay off the ice cream.

Welcome, Tate Joshua Hulling!

We are so pleased to finally meet you! We pray that God will protect you, and grow you into the amazing man he made your dad and is making your brothers. We love you!

Here’s a little exchange Liam and I had yesterday:

Liam: (calling to me from the living room) “Hey Katie?”

Katie: (calmly eating my lunch in the dining room) “Yes, Liam?”

Liam: “I know what’s wrong with you!”*

Katie: “uuuhhh…”

Great work, Sherlock. Maybe next we should work on what’s wrong with YOU

and this

aaaand this

*He never did say what was wrong with me

Last week saw the disappearance of my cankles and my graduation to big boy shoes. I must say, I feel all-the-more closer to being back to normal. With probably 80% of my ankle-ness back I’m excited at getting back into running and potentially still going on this backpacking trip in August. We’ll see what the next few weeks of rehab have in store.

This weekend I am looking forward to my very first Major League Soccer game. Yes, I know I claim to be a soccer fan. Yes, I know the MLS has existed for 13 years. But let’s be honest, it has been much ado about nothing for a long time. Saturday night, good buddy Aaron Nordyke and I will be watching the Kansas City Wizards play the L.A. Galaxy – with a new and improved Landon Donovan, and a recently returned but still douchey David Beckham.

As much crap as David Beckham has received in the last few years (not to mention the last few weeks), I still think he was (and still has the potential to be) an outstanding player. I’m excited to see him play. Besides, if the history of American soccer has taught us anything, America is where soccer legends come to die. (See under George Best, Pele, et al.)

And in case you were wondering, yes, faith and science can co-exist.

The past few weeks have been a bit of a roller coaster for the Saldanha’s. Katie and I both agree that it might have been the hardest couple of weeks of our marriage. The great thing about that is it’s not because of something we did, but just learning how to deal with circumstances. Once God has put a little more shape to this story we’ll be sure to tell it, but for now I’ll continue to be vague.

This past weekend we took three days and headed east to the lovely town of Holland, Michigan to visit the Bishop’s. Becca Wade Barry Bishop is Katie’s best friend from Hope College, and her husband Josh and son Jackson are studs. We had a great time. We also visited Mars Hill Church, home of Rob Bell. This was my fourth visit to Mars Hill without actually hearing Rob speak, but they always have fantastic guest speakers.

This weekend was no exception.

Shane Hipps was visiting from Phoenix, and teaching through spiritual disciplines. This week covered solitude and meditation. For me, this was one of those “we’re just visiting so this won’t really apply to me” mornings. I was wrong.

So wrong, in fact, that God destroyed my heart in the first 15 minutes of the service. We began singing a couple beautiful songs and already I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. Then the music director read from the Psalms, and the verses spoke to exactly what Katie and I were dealing with. I started to feel that lump in my throat that comes with brokenness.

And then . . . silence.

The music director told everyone to close their eyes and just pray. Whatever was going on, just pray. In that moment, my heart came undone. I cried for two minutes straight, unable to utter a word to God about what I felt and what I needed, but I knew at that moment that He completely understood and was purging all this junk from within me. I hadn’t really dealt with the things that were going on, I just shelved them, said I believed God was good, and moved on. But I never really experienced that truth, I simply knew it.

Shane’s message gave shape to what I was feeling and experiencing the first part of the service. We’re so quick to learn about God, but do we really know Him? I don’t take the time to quiet myself and just experience God. J.I. Packer says that if you don’t experience God, you don’t really know Him. You just know about Him. I so desperately want to know Him.

Our culture is full of distractions, which is why I think both God and the devil don’t do a lot of miraculous stuff around us. We’re sidelined by total crap that is accessible whenever we want it.

We need to learn to be quiet, and then maybe we’ll hear the voice of God that we so desperately long for.

It’s been awhile since I’ve documented (ie. reminded myself about GOOD things) my recent loves. I hope that if you’re feeling gloomy or frustrated or just plain bored, you come up with  your own list of things that you love. It helps. Really truly.

Dah-rum roll……

1. Christopher.  Despite a swollen bruised ankle, he maintains a pretty positive attitude. And he is so CUTE!

2. “Long Way Round” The documentary featuring Ewan McGregor and his “best mate Charley” riding their motorbikes around the world. I didn’t think I would get into it as much as I have, but it is FASCINATING and so entertaining. A must watch. For sure.

3. July weather that’s not July weather. Cool, breezy, sunny, 80’s. Perfect.

4.  Babybel cheese. It comes in a tiny wheel made of  wax that you have to peel off. And it’s the creamiest, most delicious cheese I have ever tasted. I could eat a whole bag of them in one sitting.

5. Baby H is coming soon! Very soon!

6.  The fact that weeks that are full of pain, disappointment, frustration, and anxiety eventually end.

7.  Moonbeam Coreiopsis

8. Wipeout. The show on ABC that probably wouldn’t be as funny if it weren’t for the commentators. And get this, the FEMALE commentator is one of the funniest.  It’s on tonight at 7:00 p.m. Try to not crack a smile while you’re watching it. It’s probably the most hilarious show on tv.

9. That this Wednesdsay is actually my Thursday. C & I leave for Holland on Friday a.m.!!! yay!

10. ChrisBrentBarbJoshEmGavLeebsBaby