teamhuerta

Moving on…

// April 25th, 2010 // No Comments » // Fathering, Life

I have done a lot of hiking and biking over the last several months.  Last weekend I took the entire family through some of the most beautiful hiking in our area.  I learned several things from this little walk through the woods.  We walked through a deep gorge carved in the rock by millions of gallons of ice cold glacial water.  We walked on precipitous ledges that only scratched the surface of  the sheer verticalness that surrounded us.  These are the things I learned.  My dog is absolutely fearless of heights and so is my little boy and girl and my big boy.  All of my children have no problem with heights in the same way I do, they walk , skip and even jaunt closer to the edge of trails I will hike alone unhindered, but when I am with my family there is a different sense of dread and protection I feel. 

What is that about?  I can hike this very quickly and calmly by myself or with a friend.  The danger isn’t as real or evident.  But put me with my children and family and my anxiety level skyrockets.  I know I have a fear of heights.   Am I really afraid of heights or am I a fraid exposed heights, I feel safe in an airplane but if it had a see through floor, I think I would just be beside myself, what has ever given me reason to believe I will fall from a height?  I have never had an experience where my life was threatened by being in high places so is my perception a trained condition or an experienced response?  I am exploring that answer every day…

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the worries of the few

// October 6th, 2009 // No Comments » // Fathering, Life, Parenting

A couple of days ago this video came across my facebook friends list.  99 balloons (see in video sidebar).. I watched it for the first time a year ago.  But it didn’t change the fact that it is still so powerful.  I was reduced to tears with my chest convulsing in heartache.  Then as I sat for the next 15 mins after watching it, I couldn’t get the sound of the father’s voice from the video out of my head.  It resonated with me because his voice calmly yet honestly gave me hope.  His conviction that God’s purpose for his life, his wife’s life and his son’s life was sure.   He was sure that God is who he says he is, that his plans supersede our desires.

This young father’s voice became my heavenly father’s voice proclaiming, No matter what happens with your current situation, I will always be your father, and I want to cherish every day we have left together, even if it may be 99 days.  Let’s live every day to the fullest, together.  I am God and I LOVE you, enjoy!

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Click to Listen: Beyond the Vault

// September 2nd, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Life, Youth Ministry

Listen to Beyond the Vault Final Edition (Click Here)

In a matter of days many of you will be receiving a letter describing the last chapter in our journey at our current location.  Since writing the letter, we have some very encouraging news.  We hear God’s voice calling us and there is clarity in the direction we may be heading.  We are still coveting any prayers that you could spare regarding the sale of our home.  We have about 2 more months of hard work ahead of us, but we anticipate the light we can feel warming our spirits at the end of the tunnel.  Thank you for being such wonderful friends and faithful givers.

I am writing this post so that you can take the next few minutes to listen:  Listen to me read to you our recent newsletter.  For those of you that get the paper version, thank you.  For those that don’t have a clue what I’m writing about, I’m sorry, feel free to listen as well.

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The luck of the Texan!

// March 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // Life

Ok,
So the luck finally runs out.  After coming in 2nd place in a popular 100mile mountain bike race a year ago in Colorado, this superman decides to make one last go at it.  He is making a run at his 8th Tour De France title.  However, a bike accident in a recent race in Spain may have thrown a wrench in his plans.  He suffered a broken collarbone in the accident yet says he will still be ready for the Tour in a couple months. 

Check out the video.  http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4010312 

You would think that after winning an unprecedented 7 tour de frances totalling around 21 weeks of riding and 14,000 miles of bike racing, he would have had enough.  But NO, not this man, he wants to do it all over again.  WOW.

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Why I could never be a Senior Pastor!

// March 15th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Christianity, Life

My wife doesn’t play the piano!

I say that tongue and cheek but I was thinking about that today at church. I grew up in a Southern Baptist church.  Commonplace in our regular weekly worship services was a pianist, organist and minister of music.  Usually the pianist or organist was the spouse of the pastor.

Today, that was how the scenario looked at our contemporary worship service. As I walked into the service, I was surprised to hear a solo piano and see us singing out of hymnals.  Why?  Because our service is a contemporary service that usually has a piano accompanied by several guitarists, a drummer and vocal accompaniment.  All the worship team was out this weekend and they needed music, now I know it sounds kind of odd but that is the nature of our worship service. 

Hearing the old hymns again brought back several emotions and thoughts, firstly about the idea that although my wife can play guitar, she is not a pianist , so if that excludes me from some senior pastor roles, then so be it.  I don’t believe God has called me to the senior pastor roll anytime soon.  Until then maybe my wife can start taking lessons when (or if) I go to seminary!

Lastly, do I think the church needs to present the “Timeless truth of the gospel with Timely Methods ,” as Mark Driscoll puts it?  Yes I do and I think we need to re-evaluate if, how and when we use hymnals at all, in the context of modern contemporary worship where screens have replaced decorative wall hangings behind the pulpit in churches.  That speaks to how timely our methods are at relating the gospel in a clear way.  We use the hymnal in our home to teach song, rhythm, doctrine and verse to our young children.

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New Blog Layout

// March 14th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Blogging

Come on over to our blog and see the differences.  Read some of our older featured posts in the scrolling feature on the right sight of the homepage.  We love having you visit our blog or read us in your reader or email, but please come see us on the web to get the most out of our blog.  Thank you for keeping up with us! 

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Never content

// March 11th, 2009 // No Comments » // Funny, Life

Recently I submitted my blog to a site that helps blogging ministers of all sorts find each other’s blogs, www.ministrybloggers.com. Well, as I was wondering around I came across this couples blog that has many similarities to ourselves, www.lifechange.typepad.com I found this video that is absolutely hilarious.  What is it about Americans that we are never content!   Check it out!

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Follow Me!

// February 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // Christianity, Life, Parenting, Youth Ministry

We sure live in a different world.  Not really. Let me explain.

Do you know what the most popular mobile social networking tool is?  If you don’t, then get ready for something that will shake your world the likes you haven’t seen since you could carry your phone in your pocket.  The, now mature application, of Twitter.  Find it at twitter.com.  For those of you already in the know, what are you tweeting these days? Watch this video for the best explanation.  

In 2007 I was scouring the web for ways to connect my online calendar and my to do list to my phone from the confines of my computer and the WWW, when I discovered Twitter.  I signed up, and began using apps that accomplished that task, so I could send little text messages to my google calendar with appointments I made throughout my day.  I could also send text message reminders to my online to do list.  All the while being out and about away from my computer, meeting, eating, and playing with the "real world."  So that when I got back to my computer, all my tasks would be there at my computer for me to sort, all my appointments waiting neatly in the days I gave them.  So that is how I got started Tweeting.  Then something happened, mySpace became, my so boring space and facebook drew me in, then twitter connected to facebook and voila, I can now tweet my status updates and never need to access the web!!!!!!  (until I want to)   Then I had this thought…..

Is twitter really that new.  Everywhere I see people saying "Follow Me" on twitter @______ is my name and you can follow me….. everyone wants to have some followers but I’m here to proclaim, that I think Jesus was the ultimate first ever Tweeter!!!!  Check it out…

Speaking to Simon and Andrew in  Matthew 4:19 (NIV) Jesus says "Come Follow Me!  If Jesus had a twitter account what would that look like? 

Until then, you can follow me @jhcuatro!!!!!!!!!

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Another Reason to Adopt!

// February 14th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Adoption, Fathering, Funny, Life, Manhood, Uncategorized

This is by far one of the best reasons to adopt.  Today we picked up my mother and little brother from the airport.  We brought them to our house and settled in for the night.  We tucked the kids into bed and began to wind down, when supermom says, “Honey, we (means ME) should turn the water heater up so that everyone can have a warm shower in the morning.”  Okay, sounds like a great idea. 

So I ran to the toolbox grabbed the appropriate supplies and began the tedious task of cleaning out the closet and contorting my body into the tight small space the water heater occupies.  So I got it turned up and now the fun part….  Putting the cover over the dial.  When all of a sudden, the metal door I am getting ready to screw in place makes contact with a couple of the exposed wires causing a “harmless” spark that then starts the insulation on a burn. “OH CRAP!” and like superman, I rip the sliding door off its hinge, throw the paint cans off the fire extinguisher we bought because of our adoption pre screening.   Rip it out of a box like a baby during a C-section, and pop the little pin off, AIM, FIRE,  the fire is out…..YAYYYYYYY.   Now I gotta clean up the mess and reset the breaker, all is well in the Huerta home.

Thanks to the adoption Home Study which scared us into buying a fire extinguisher!

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Make it stop!

// February 4th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Children, Fathering, Life, Parenting, Uncategorized, Youth Ministry

I am a bit overwhelmed as of late.  I have been doing lots of research, reading, watching and writing on media, ministry, and teens.  I have also found a love of the documentary.  I just finished watching a trailer for a documentary that disturbs me.  Although, SuperSize me, focused on the obesity of America through McDonalds.  This documentary focuses on how our society is creating “SuperConsumers.”

We feel this pressure as parents, I surely understand it from my childhood experiences, but when I watch what is being promoted and fed to American children through the “Tube.”  My knees get weak and my eyes swell up.  I want to throw the TV out the window.  I want to move to Alaska or Iceland and live at the foot of some mountain.  It breaks my heart to see kids forget how to play, how to show grace and mercy to one another.  I want to scream, STOP!

My heart aches for the millions of children who will grow to be adults and not know how to say “NO” to stuff, to things!  The rise in weight related illness amongst children is staggering.  Kids are sedating themselves to death, and the collective ‘we’ as parents are allowing it to happen.  But The cycle has started, how can we break it?

(Here is the trailer to Consuming Kids)

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