Tori's SkyMoms Tips....Fall decorations and a Yummy dessert to go along with your beautiful home decor!

After a little fun with Fall decorating...oh, and I must admit I am in love with anything Chevron Patterned... But, now I am getting really excited for getting out all my Christmas decorations!!  So to end this week with my fall decor and the beginnings of putting out all my Christmas decor, I thought we would celebrate with Paula Deens, Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes!!

The internet is all abuzz with Thanksgiving culinary masterpieces, so it is only fair that I join in on the fun and share this recipe.

They are called Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes and they make pumpkin pie feel like the third sister-wife of the dessert table. 

You can tell by the title that this recipe is clearly a Paula Deen.  Only she would title a recipe “Gooey Butter Cakes.”  Thanksgiving is her bailiwick.  No contest.

Usually I have a nose for the more nutritionally balanced recipes, but this is a well-worth-it exception.  And if you want to make yourself feel better about the two sticks of butter in this recipe, remember that pumpkin is a vegetable.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.  Check on them after about 35 minutes so you make sure not to overbake them. The center should be a little gooey.   Let the pan cool completely before you cut the squares.  I usually cut them pretty small since they are so rich.  Dust them with powdered sugar to make them extra pretty before serving them.

Please, please trust me on this one.  Tear up that stale pumpkin pie recipe and enjoy this variation.  Just put on your heals and  and dazzle the person(s) you are most thankful for with this sinful seasonal delight.

Tori Miller

Sky Ranch SkyMom Parenting Mentor

Ronda from ~ The Family Table, brings us "Pumpkin Ginger Bread"

Pumpkin Ginger Bread

 This time of year is full of fun family moments and most of them at our house revolve around the table, eating good food.  Our house is usually packed with guests and that means a lot of cooking for me. I do love it, but every year I tell myself that I will make more stuff ahead of time and use my freezer.  So here goes… Starting with breakfast and coffee treats. Never make just one batch of anything. Ever. Always make a second to freeze or give away. This is one of the easiest ways to stock up the freezer for a later date.

Pumpkin Ginger Bread

2 ¼ cup flour

¾ tsp salt

¾ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1 T ground cinnamon

1 inch freshly grated ginger

1  stick of unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup Libby pumpkin

¾ cup milk

½ cup chocolate chips

Sift dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and fresh ginger.  Alternate dry ingredients with milk. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased loaf pan. If desired sprinkle with a little sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted into center comes out dry about 45-60 minutes.  Let cool and either slice to eat or wrap tightly in plastic wrap then food saver loaf  and freeze to use during Thanksgiving Week. Perfect to have as part of a breakfast buffet or as a late afternoon snack with coffee or tea.

Happy Cooking,

Ronda from The Family Table

Prayer Encouragement: "Harvest Time" by SkyMom, Terrie Chevaillier

Harvest Time

 Let us not become weary in doing good,

 for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up

Galatians 6:9

Have you ever had the opportunity to teach your children about sowing and reaping?

From young children to older, I believe that God gave us the ability to understand

a very important truth by watching the seed.

When planted, a seed needs to be covered up with dirt so that we cannot see it.

This gives it a place to germinate.

Depending on the seed, some need a period of dormancy before they can sprout and emerge up from the ground. 

The definition of dormancy is: Lying asleep or as if asleep.

Latent, but capable of being active.

Do your children every get discouraged and feel like the fruit of their good choices are as if asleep….seeming to bear no fruit.

Sometimes, just as the seed, the seeds of good character put into practice

day after day tend to lay dormant for a season.

Even though we cannot yet see the fruit of the daily choices,

Something beautiful is taking place and will emerge into something

bigger and more amazing than what was every planted.

Sowing seeds of hard work by disciplined study habits and prioritizing

allow you to reap a harvest of choices instead of a harvest of limitations

when it comes time to possibly apply for a college.

Sowing seeds of faith in friend choices by refusing to follow the crowd

allows one to reap a harvest of right relationships instead of wrong ones.

Sowing seeds of encouraging words over ones that tear down allow us to reap a harvest of truth:  God’s Word and His promises coming to light in our situations.

Think about how when you plant a seed, you never see it come up from the ground.

It would be rare to be standing there at just the time it poked it’s head through the dirt

and see movement of a stem emerging.

And so it is with doing good.

We often don’t get to see the fruit of it until one day, we wake up and there it is.

Let’s Pray God’s Word:

Dear Father, thank You that You promise a harvest.

Sometimes my children get weary of doing good.

Often, I get weary of doing good.  I forget that disciplining them is good.

I get weary of saying the same things to them day after day.

I desire for their harvest to be plentiful and abundant.

However, it seems that sometimes, they cannot even imagine 

the harvest that is coming or possible for them.

In the stages of their development, it is often hard for them and for me to see the future and what good could be.  Choices made today greatly affecting somewhere down the road…tomorrow.

I want their tomorrow to be full of all that You intended it to be.  Every seed bearing full blooms that blossom for Your Kingdom.

Your Word gives us comfort that when we become weary…to not give up.

It lets us know that we will become weary.

When they do and I do, please lead us to Your Word for strength to keep on going.

For You say that if we do….that there is a PROPER time to reap as we trudge through

the weariness.

I want to wait for the proper time.

I want them to wait for the proper time.

Help me not to push, and cause them to become weary as a result of my 

own desires for performance or perfection.

The proper time would mean faith in Your time.

The proper time would be looking hopefully and expectantly with thanksgiving

as we wait for the seeds to take full bloom.

Help me to wait for the harvest that You have coming at just the

proper time.

Amen

~Terrie Chevaillier

Teach Intentionally..."Family Time…Jesus’ youth and a balanced life", with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Time…Jesus’ youth and a balanced life

Can you imagine Jesus climbing trees and playing tag? Jesus was a boy that grew up! I picture Jesus enjoying life with His brothers and sisters or friends, in a similar way that many people have grown up. It is one of the easiest ways for us to relate to Him. This month’s family time topic from the “Sky Ranch Family Devotional: Follow the Leader” is on “Jesus is Man,“ and the weekly discussion is on “Jesus’ youth and a balanced life.“ Like anyone, Jesus had happy and sad moments. Jesus had siblings and they played the normal sibling games: poking, making fun, laughing, and wrestling. Jesus probably had chores and did His part in the family. However, during the middle school years, Jesus surprised everyone! Besides His very normal teen tendency to wander away from the parents, He seemed to have an amazingly good grasp on spiritual understanding. In the passage below (Luke 2:43-51), Jesus began to show that He was set apart from typical kids. At that time, He was hanging out in the temple with the adults and amazing everyone with His understanding. Plus, He astonished His parents with His show of independence by separating from them for 3 days. For parents this is a great life lesson to remember, in middle school when your kids start to pull away and develop signs of understanding who they are…it is okay and normal. Remind your kids that Jesus did stay in subjection to His parents and make sure to set up a few boundaries, so you are not anxiously running around looking for them as they begin to show their independence…communication is key! 

As a Mom, I found these passages some of the most useful for teaching my own kids. We actually broke down the Luke 2:52 into 4 categories and used it to set goals. I am happy to copy good ideas and other Moms shared this one with me. For several years, our family has written down our goals for the New Year during our family time at the Christmas break. We based it on the Luke 2:52 verse and broke the goal setting page into 4 areas: goals for work/school (wisdom), goals for working out (stature), goals for spiritual life (favor with God), goals for friendships (favor with man). We also make a point in the summer to look at our goals to remind ourselves of our plan or adjust the goals. It has been really helpful for us.

This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family and asking God to show you how to explain Jesus well to your kids. Pray for God to give you the best way to relate the message that Jesus really can understand you because He went through similar things. It is also a good time to look at family relationships and pray for God to reveal if there is anything that needs discussion. Jesus and His parents had to work through things and you and your kids will have issues to work through too. Also, pray for God to guide you in a discussion about a balanced life style. Pray that God will help you and your kids develop a balance that is good for all of you.

Do you have questions or need prayer for your family? Email me at SkyMoms@skyranch.org.

I will be praying for you! 

Stacy

Stacy A. Davis

Sky Ranch Family Devotionals and

Teach Intentionally Author

This week we are in the 2^nd  Topic and  8^th Family Time (or page  23) of the Sky Ranch Devotional “Follow the Leader”…

Family Time 8:

Topic 2: Jesus is Man…Jesus’ youth and a balanced life

Talk with God: Read…Scriptures and questions below.

Luke 2:43-51  and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the  boy   Jesus  stayed behind in Jerusalem. And His parents were unaware of it,  44  but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day's journey; and they [began] looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances.  45  And when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him.  46  And it came about that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.  47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.  48  And when they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You."  49  And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's [house?]”  50  And they did not understand the statement which He had made to them.  51  And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all [these] things in her heart.

• In Luke 2:46, how did Jesus learn?
• In Luke 2:51, while Jesus was a child, how did He live with His parents?

Luke 2:52   And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

• In Luke 2:52, what four areas did Jesus increase in?

Walk with God: Discuss… What can you learn from Jesus’ youth?

Prayer suggestion… Pray for help to grow like Jesus did.

Family Time 8: 

Leader Answers:

• Jesus learned by listening and asking questions
• He lived in subjection to His parents
• Wisdom, stature (physical growth), favor with God and favor with men
• Discussion ideas: Jesus gave us a great example of how children are to grow up. Jesus desired to learn, understood He could be taught by others, and was respectful of authority. Jesus also grew in four areas. He grew in knowledge and its application (mental maturity), physical maturity, and He grew in relationships with God and other people. He was well-balanced. Are you well-balanced? If not, what areas would you need to work on?

© 2012 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.

Prayer Encouragement: "Who's Helping Who?" by SkyMom, Terrie Chevaillier

Who's Helping  Who?

Genesis 2:18

The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

I recently started a bible study this fall on the book of Genesis.  Even though I have read the story of creation many times, I stand amazed daily at the new truths God is imparting to my heart.

And, a rather helpful reminder to my heart has been Genesis 2:18. I have read it, I have heard teaching on it, I have read books describing it in detail....but still, I found myself trying to reverse the gift so to speak.

You see, God gave woman to man as a gift to him. In verse 19 it goes on to say that God brought her to the man.  A gift to man. A helper to man.

So....I will confess conviction on this particular verse.

Last week as I left to go out the door to bible study....on the book of Genesis, I recited my list of things I needed my husband to do for me.  In my opinion, one was a rather urgent need.  My cell phone was not functioning properly and you know how that just tends to make you feel like you are disconnected and cut off from the urgent....sadly...not that I love to admit that.  Given the fact that my husband has been gifted in the area of negotiation, I just felt that he would be the best man for the job of contacting our service provider, waiting on hold for however long that might take, ordering me a new phone and making changes to the plan where necessary.

As I left this need in his lap, I didn't ask if he had margin in his day to help me with it and I sort of just expected him to immediately get to it along with a few other items I was less than patient about.  He took my somewhat bossy requests and nicely said that he would handle it.

All good...right? Not really....at least not good in my heart.  Often my timeline and his are slightly different by sometimes hours and often days....if you know what I mean. So off I went to bible study driving in my car rehearsing in my mind what my plan would be if this had not been done when I got home. 

So, on to bible study to go over a chapter that I had spent most of the week on.  Somehow, Genesis 2:18 had hit some rocky soil in my heart and failed to take root that week. In such a sweet way....the Lord spoke to my heart and gently reminded me that He had created  ME to be a helper for my husband and somewhere along the way...I had developed an attitude of the heart that it went the other way...my husband created to help me.   I did get my phone and all is good in my connectedness to the world, however I got to experience a deeper connectedness with my husband this past week as I kept this verse at the forefront of my day.  Sweetness and pure joy were exchanged for bossy and demanding.

Let's Pray God's Word:

Lord, thank you that you have given ME as a gift to my husband. A helper suitable just for him.

Show me where you uniquely created me to be just the perfect helper for how you creatively designed him.

Show me the  gifts that I am withholding from a heart that has it all mixed up.

Where is he feeling alone because of my misunderstanding of Your Word?

I know that even though we might be living life together daily...he can still feel alone if I am not functioning in the role of helper.

You created this world with a purpose and a plan and I pray that I would yield to that Devine plan. Helper Suitable. Suited to his needs over my own needs,

And Lord, I long to pass on a healthy vision of marriage to my children.

Give me mercy and grace for do overs and let them see a mom that is a helper suitable for her man!

Amen

~Terrie Chevaillier

Lisa Life Lesson, "The Parent Police"

The Parent Police

Do you ever get that urge to parent another parent? Come on now.  You know you do.  It feels so good to get it off your chest and set that mom straight! awwwww 

I'm more convinced than ever that parenting another parent is most always a bad idea.  Even though you might not agree with decisions other parents are making, you aren't the parent police.  If you are, I want to see your badge...

Here's some things to consider BEFORE parenting another parent:

1)  Check your motives - are you selfishly wanting to get back at that parent or make a point?  Are you angry and wanting to let them have it?

2)  If your motives are to "help" or encourage them, spend time with them in private, after much prayer.  

3)  Many friendships are destroyed because one mom took it upon herself to "guide" another mom.  Sometimes prayer and living it out are the best options.

4)  Always get your story right before confronting another adult.  A 6 year old's version of a situation might be a little distorted.

Remember, we're all in this together.  God gave us community for a reason.  Encourage one another in love.  Don't judge.  Be a light and stay away from drama!


~Lisa Clark
Sky Ranch SkyMom Parenting Mentor

Getting to know your SkyMom Writer... Stacy A. Davis, Sky Ranch SkyMom Board member and writer of "Teach Intentionally"

Stacy A. Davis

Sky Ranch SkyMom Board member and writer of "Teach Intentionally"

Stacy first attended Sky Ranch Summer Camp at 6 years old and she has been a part of Sky Ranch for over 40 years. She has lived the Sky Ranch life map of moving from being a camper to serving campers to continuing the cycle by raising camper kids that serve.  A Dallas native, she and her husband Russell (married for 23 years) and her son, Taylor (20) and daughter, Sarah (18), who both attend Baylor University, have all been campers. Her children have both graduated from the Sky Ranch Sigma Leadership program and one currently serves as a counselor.  

Stacy has been a Sky Ranch Board Member for 10 years and currently serves at Sky Ranch by leading a committee that interacts with the Sky Ranch Staff on curriculum review and program development.  Her love for camping, the outdoors and horses led her family to purchase their East Texas ranch where they spend many relaxing hours bonding, having campfires and thanking God for His amazing creation. Stacy is a member of Prestonwood Baptist church and lives in Plano, Texas.

 Over 20 years ago, Stacy entered women’s ministry by serving in MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers) ministry and eventually served as a mentor Mom for MOPs.  In the last 10 years, she has led courses and taught women God’s Word through Precept Inductive Bible Studies.  Stacy began writing family devotions for her own family and from that format developed the Sky Ranch Family Devotionals series of “Open Your Eyes” and “Follow the Leader.”  She also writes weekly for the Sky Ranch SkyMom blog and encourages Moms to intentionally teach their own family. “Teach intentionally” equips Moms by giving Biblical insight on devotional  topics, offering various ways to discuss the topics from useful examples based on Stacy or her kid’s personal experiences and sharing suggestions of specific family prayer ideas. Her hope is to encourage Moms to love their husbands and children and for them to teach the “good things” that build up their family (Titus 2:3-4). 

Teach Intentionally..."Family Time…The purpose and the relationship", with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Time…The purpose and the relationship

Jesus wants to know you and be known by you! He wants a relationship with you. This month family time topic from the “Sky Ranch Family Devotional: Follow the Leader” is on “Jesus is Man“ and the weekly discussion is on “the purpose and the relationship.“ We are exploring why Jesus came to earth as a man.  What is Jesus’ purpose for being on earth? Jesus came to earth to be a Savior to you. If you believe Him, He came to establish a close and personal relationship with you. He wants to connect on a real level of trust with you. If He had arrived on earth in all His power, do you think people would have listened to Him in the same way? Or would they have just been fascinated with the display of power? Or would they have been intimidated?  God, the Father planned Jesus’ arrival on earth in a way that would allow Jesus to not be intimidating. Jesus wants you to have a relationship with Him and for you to listen to Him, so, He made Himself approachable. Galatians 4:9 tells us “that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God” and shows how Jesus bridged the gap for you.

As a Mom, the relationship with Jesus was difficult to explain to my kids. Jesus is very real, but it can be difficult to explain to young kids, how you can have a relationship with someone that you don’t see with earthly eyes but with spiritual eyes. The easiest way for me to explain Jesus to my kids was to talk about my relationship with Him. I shared my personal experience of going to Jesus with a problem and how He answered with solutions or comfort. In our family time, if I had a problem that I was struggling through and I thought it was appropriate to share with my kids based on their age. I would share basic information as a teachable moment. I would pray about it in our prayer time and then when I understood God’s direction in the solution, I would share the response as well. Over time, my kids did see that Jesus was responding, but it took being transparent and letting them know that I did not have all the answers and I needed to seek God for the solution.

This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family and asking God the best way to explain your relationship with Him to your kids. Your kids look to you as a role model of what a relationship with Jesus is supposed to look like. Ask God to help you reflect a right relationship with Him. It is okay if you don’t have it all figured out. The important part if for your kids to see you seeking God first in all that you do (Matthew 6:33). The experiences, that Jesus went through while on earth, gives you many normal human experiences (such as rejection, loss, hurt, ridicule, plus, happiness, celebration, and encouragement) and you can talk about the everyday experiences that Jesus had to help your kids relate to Him. Help them also see that because of those everyday experiences, you know that Jesus understands each of you and what you go through. Encourage your family to pray and seek Jesus’ help and advice for your challenges since He endured many things and can relate to all areas of life. 

Do you have questions or need prayer for your family? Email me at SkyMoms@skyranch.org.

I will be praying for you! 

Stacy

Stacy A. Davis

Sky Ranch Family Devotionals and

Teach Intentionally Author

This week we are in the  2^nd  Topic and  7^th  Family Time (or page  22) of the Sky Ranch Devotional “Follow the Leader”…

Family Time 7:

Topic 2: Jesus is Man…the purpose and the relationship

Talk with God: Read…Scriptures and questions below.

Philippians 2:5-8   … Christ Jesus,  6  who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be  grasped,  7  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, [and] being made in the likeness of men.  8  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross

• In Phil. 2:7, Jesus takes the form of whom and is made how?

Matthew 20:28  …(Jesus is speaking) “just as  the  Son of Man  did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. "

• In Matt. 20:28, what does Jesus call Himself?
• In Matt. 20:28, why did Jesus come here?

Walk with God: Discuss… God takes the form of man and we are told He will be called “Immanuel” or “God with us.” But, why is He called Jesus?  In Matthew 1:21, Joseph is instructed by the angel of the Lord in a dream to name the baby “Jesus.” The name “Jesus” means “God our Savior.” What is God doing? Why do you think that God chose to appear to us in the form of a man? 

Prayer suggestion…  Pray for God’s help to believe that Jesus was really both God and Man.

Family Time 7: 

Leader Answers:

• A bond-servant and made in the likeness of men
• The Son of Man
• To serve and give His life as a ransom for many
• Discussion ideas:  There were several reasons for Christ’s coming such as God’s salvation plan for mankind.  Another reason is so that you can identify with Him.  You understand Him better, since He is human like you are. And it is easier for you to understand a relationship with Him. How does Jesus being human help you?

© 2012 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.

"The Greatest Commandment on Display: Through the Ledet Family" by SkyMom, Terrie Chevaillier

The Greatest Commandment on Display:

How I saw the memories of two brothers, Sky Ranch, and Southlake, TX love God and love others.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 One week ago, Sky Moms was asked to pray for the Ledet family who are near and dear to Sky Ranch. I would like to share with you in this blog post just how I saw some of those prayers being answered as I watched form a far and up close this week.

First let me share what I saw as memories were shared about the life of this family:

I saw:

Two brothers who were united in Spirt.

Two brothers who put the interests of others above their own.

Two boys who loved others so well that teachers shared personal testimony, students shared personal testimony and letters written to the family shared personal testimony.

A family that was united and unified in love for each other.

Two boys who had such incredible joy and hearts of compassion that the entire town felt a heaviness because they were not here with us.

Two boys whose lives touched so many people that even at a restaurant we were eating at this week, someone had left a drawing under the glass of the table with their names on it and scripture.

Two brothers who adored their sisters.

Two sons who adored and respected their mother and father.

Two boys who loved this whole town and those in and around them with the love of Christ.

I would also like to share how I saw the love of Sky Ranch on display:

I saw:

Sky Ranch show up.

Sky Ranch show comfort.

Sky Ranch speak about how these boys loved God and loved others.

Sky Ranch share the gospel at a prayer vigil.

Sky Ranch comfort the mom and sisters.

Sky Ranch comfort the boys and girls in this town by listening, talking, sitting at a ballgame, taking kids to lunch, hanging out and watching football with those close to these two boys, taking boys fishing, praying with kids and just being there.

Sky Ranch was the hands and feet of Jesus in Southlake, TX this week.

What I saw in the community of Southlake and Carroll ISD…

I saw:

A school district that was more concerned about grieving students over testing and schedules.

A faculty who showed love, compassion, and concern each day to those who loved these boys.

A homecoming week that became not so much about earthly things and chose to focus on that which was eternal….remembering these two, praying for this family, and dedicating hours to honoring their lives over honoring the event of the week.

A town that showed up to a Celebration of Life service that required parking attendants and police to direct traffic.

A church that used their gifts of compassion, mercy, song, scripture and prayer to celebrate well the life these two boys had lived.

A pastor who spoke to the hearts of the family and kids about eternal perspectives and stages of grief with concern for their hearts to allow Christ’s love to get them through each stage and not get stuck in bitterness.

I saw:

Jesus Christ on display through His people.

~Terrie Chevaillier

Ronda from ~ The Family Table, brings us "Hungarian Coffee Cake"

There are certain foods that remind me of fall. I am no longer a coffee drinker, but on occasion, a hot cup of decaf is so comforting. If I am going to have coffee, then of course, I am going to need to something sweet to go with it. And if I have a choice of what that something sweet is going to be, I’ll always go for my mom’s Hungarian Coffee Cake. We grew up eating this delicious coffee cake and when it is baking, it still reminds me of home. I took it to the hospital a few weeks ago as a thank you to all of the nurses that work with all of us students. It was gone in no time and now I am known as “the baker” on the floor. Make one for your family and while you are at it, make another to give as a gift. Enjoy!

Hungarian Coffee Cake

1 cup unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup sour cream

2 cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

Filling:

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup walnuts or pecans

2 tsp cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, sour cream. Add dry ingredients. Pour half of batter in greased baking dish (13x9) or other similar sized dish. Sprinkle filling. Top with rest of batter. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (Baking time varies based on pan size)

Happy Cooking,

Ronda from The Family Table

Getting to know your SkyMom Writer... Terrie Chevaillier, Sky Ranch SkyMom Writer of "Prayer Encouragement"

Terrie Chevaillier

Sky Ranch SkyMom writer of "Prayer Encouragement"

Terrie has been married to her husband, Charles, for 21 years.  She has three boys, and lives in Southlake, TX.  Her oldest son Forrest attends Texas A&M University in College Station, TX and her other two sons attend school in the Southlake Carroll ISD.    Terrie grew up in Arkansas and attended the University of Arkansas and Radiology School in Little Rock, AR where she went on to specialize in ultrasound.  She has worked full time, part time, and now on a limited basis as she enjoys being a mom and a wife.

Terrie has a heart for encouraging moms to pray scripture for their children.  She has seen much answered prayer in her family as she has prayed and believed in God’s Word to guide her as she parents her three boys.  Terrie feels called to share how the Lord has specifically answered prayers in her parenting and in her marriage.  Her desire is to help moms go to God‘s Word and prayer as they seek to be moms who choose trust over worry and fret for their children and their future.  She loves to help friends and others be disciplined in their prayer lives.  She designs personalized prayer boxes to help moms do just that.

Terrie has been sending her boys to Sky Ranch for the last fourteen years.  She and her family have many stories of God’s goodness and provision from the love her boys have been shown at Sky Ranch.   She attributes God using other Godly counselors to come alongside her oldest son to equip him and sharpen him as he became a Sky Ranch counselor in 2012.

She and her family attend Watermark Community Church in Dallas, TX where she and her husband serve in the marriage ministry and her boys enjoy small group community and youth ministries.  She loves to drive her boys to and from school and has experienced that time to be priceless and rewarding.   Aside from her love of being a wife and mom, she enjoys reading, early morning walks with neighborhood friends, designing prayer boxes, going to Sonic for a Diet Coke, attending BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) and investing in making her home a safe haven for her family.

Teach Intentionally..."Family Time…Jesus’ human lineage and God’s heart", with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Time…Jesus’ human lineage and God’s heart

Jesus came to earth in the humble form of a man…why? Last month in your family time devotionals, we looked at Jesus’ super abilities and the truth that Jesus is God. We know that Jesus could have shown up and taken charge of everyone with an amazing display of power. He had the power. He could have handled His arrival on earth a very different way. But He did not arrive in a majestic way, instead as a humble baby in a stable, and although Jesus has amazing power, He laid it aside and operated as a humble servant, a man. But, why? This next month we are going to focus on the truth that “Jesus is a Man”. This month’s family time topic from the “Sky Ranch Family Devotional: Follow the Leader” is on “Jesus is Man“ and the weekly discussion is on “Jesus’ human lineage and God’s heart.“ Throughout the history of the church, there have been false religions that have claimed the Jesus was not an actual man. Your family needs to know that Jesus is as much a Man as He is God. In the Bible the Old Testament holds several clues about the Man who would be the Messiah. God gave these clues or prophecy to help us recognize the real man sent from God to be the Messiah. God did not want us to miss it. One of the clues from God was that His Messiah would be in the Jewish family line of King David. This week the family devotional takes your family through several places that show God’s promise of a ruling offspring to King David, that Jesus was born into the family line of King David, that Jesus was even registered in the census for the family of King David, and Jesus claimed to be the offspring of King David. God carefully designed the real Messiah, God’s Anointed One, to fit a certain set of clues that He left in the Jewish scripture or Old Testament and Jesus fit the clues.

When my kids were older, the clues left in scripture were fascinating to my kids. We had a great time discovering the surprises of Jesus’ life that God shared before Jesus came to earth. So far, this devotional has shown you Jesus’ birth place, His name and family line. Other clues are the date of His arrival on earth, His role as a Servant, things He would do while on earth, the purpose of His death, the type of death and His resurrection. There are many more. When my kids were younger and too young for prophecy, we discussed Jesus’ family and compared it to ours. We spent many hours talking about our extended family history and they had many questions about the countries that our distant relatives came from. As we talked, it gave my kids a strong sense of family by belonging to a bigger family.

This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family and how they might see Jesus’ human side. Pray and ask that God would direct your conversation on Jesus to help them connect with their family like Jesus connected with His family.  If your kids are old enough, spend time looking for other clues in the Bible. If your kids are younger, spend time talking about Jesus’ family. Jesus had a Mom, Dad and brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles, and even a great, great, great grandpa, King David. You can compare that to your family and family line. Kids love to talk about family roots and want to know about their family, you can spend time sharing the special history of your family with them.

Do you have questions or need prayer for your family? Email me at SkyMoms@skyranch.org.

I will be praying for you! 

Stacy

Stacy A. Davis

Sky Ranch Family Devotionals and

Teach Intentionally Author

This week we are in the 2^nd  Topic and 6^th  Family Time (or page 21 ) of the Sky Ranch Devotional “Follow the Leader”…

Family Time 6:

Topic 2: Jesus is Man…Jesus’ human lineage and God’s heart 

Talk with God: Read… Scriptures and questions below.

Matthew 1:1  The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son   of David , the son of Abraham.

Revelation 22:16   "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star."

• In Matt. and Rev., what human family was Jesus from?

Luke 2:4   And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from  the   city   of  Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,  5  in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.

• In Luke 2:5, why were they in Bethlehem?

Acts 13:22-23  "And after He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a  man  after My heart, who will do all My will.' 23  From the offspring of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus .”

• In Acts 13:22-23, whose offspring is Jesus?

Walk with God: Discuss…  God tells us the human family that His Son will be born into is King David’s family. Both Mary and Joseph were part of King David’s family and had gone to Bethlehem to register for the census with that family…why did that matter?

Prayer suggestion…  Ask God to help you learn His heart.

Family Time 6: 

Leader Answers:

• The son of David, the son of Abraham
• Joseph and Mary were of the family of David and were there to register for the census
• Jesus is the offspring of David
• Discussion ideas: A false Messiah won’t fit all the clues. The true Messiah that God promised will fit all the clues.  God stated He would provide a Savior that would be of the family of King David and in scripture God is keeping His Word. God called King David a man after His own heart “who will do all His will.” What would God’s heart desire? Are you a person after God’s own heart? How?

© 2012 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.