uncovered celebrations

Sami's 10th birthday party. She is opening up a "craft" bin gift!

John's ? birthday. The kids have been begging him for a dog, and of course, we keep saying no, so this is their version of buying him one. It is an ice cream cake, and it was delicious!

This has been a crazy couple of weeks as we have had two birthdays, Thanksgiving and one more birthday to go this week. Lots of celebrations and things to rejoice in... As a family, we try to focus on the "experience" of the celebration verses the gifts of celebrations. Not that gifts are bad, because we know they are not. However, I have found that I can easily get trapped in the mentality of the gift/gifts and what their friends are receiving and will my children like it, will they think their friends will like it, etc...

As I type it, it feels kind of silly really. BUT, truly it can feel like a box to live under instead of a moment to be celebrated! Truly I am proud of my children. They expect I am sure one gift, but other than that, they expect a family moment. One to be remembered and stored in our memory banks to be thought about another day...

I do hope your Thanksgiving was full of celebration and thanks and family and friends. As I desire to live "uncovered", I realize that it can be hard to celebrate every moment, but today I will try as I will again tomorrow and then I will try the next day, and so on, I am sure you get the idea.

Have a great day!

a new beginning

Happy Thanksgiving friends!

For those of you who know me, know that I am pretty transparent with my life. My hope is that this blog will be a little outlet for me to learn to live in an american culture openly and uncovered.

I have to go though at this current moment to welcome my kids home from school, but for now, have a great Holiday week and enjoy the people that you find yourself surrounded by... I know that I will.

Partnership with Guckenberger Family

Hello family and friends,
To look back over these past seven years, it has been such a whirlwind of trust, faith, fears, concerns, and more than anything relationship! Relationship with our staff family, relationship with those we ministered to in Mexico and Nigeria and most importantly our relationships with each of you.
We are overjoyed to share with you that John has received a job that he is so excited about and the Lord has really revealed to us. He started November 1^st, with his last day in the Back2Back offices being October 31^st. We wanted to thank you one last time as you have been on this whirlwind with us the entire time. John is the new project manger of Life Enriching Community. LEC is a world class leader in senior living. John will be managing various construction projects at the LEC Twin Lakes Campus and Twin Towers Campus.
As one chapter in our life closes and another one begins, we find ourselves again in a whirlwind of trust, faith, fears, concerns and yet this time, without each of you. BUT, we do know this, God is with us and we hope and pray that He will continue to lay the burden on your heart to continue to pray for us as He guides us into new relationships with neighbors, parents of children’s friends, and whomever else the Lord sees fit for us to be ministering alongside and to. He is good to us, this we know!
Please continue to consider supporting another staff family, program or child within Back2Back ministries as the work is far from over. Thank you for partnering with us as we “Cared for Today, Hoped for Tomorrow” for these Fatherless. John and I can both sincerely say we have loved working with each of you.
Because there are numerous opportunities to continue your partnership with Back2Back, we would like to recommend that your prayers and financial support go toward our home office staff, in particular Chris Ramos. He is the Director of Missions and he has been a faithful servant for the past four years with Back2Back. As you probably know, it is much more difficult for U.S. staff to raise support, and your partnership would be a huge benefit.
We are always interested in connecting with each of you so please call us or email us with any questions or just to connect. Email: corriejohn@yahoo.com, John’s ph: 513-502-8830.
Thank you again and God Bless,
John and Corrie Guckenberger