Friday, February 27, 2015

Better Together Devotional: Show Kindness by Author and Board Member Stacy A. Davis

Family Fun Icebreaker: How do you like to show kindness?

Topic Question: What is the Right Lifestyle in God’s Community?

Today’s Big Idea: Integrity
As you spend time reading God’s Word and learning His ways, God’s Holy Spirit will work on your heart, teaching you love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. God changes you for the better. God shares in scripture that it is important to guard your heart. He says, “the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them” (Matthew 15:18 [NLT]). The integrity, or good moral character, in your heart can been seen from the words that you choose to say. If you lack integrity, that is heard in your words. Today, many people struggle with being respectful of other people. Speaking respectfully to the people closest to you, in your immediate family, for example, can be your biggest challenge. God tells you that you can either build up those in your house or tear them down (Proverb 14:1). It is a choice. If you are wise, you choose to build up those around you.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Praising God for "The Struggle" - Lisa Clark



They say it’s easier to GET a splinter than get RID of a splinter! I agree! Ouch!

To the church in Corinth, Paul reminds them of what he’s been through to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He’s truly been kept alive by God.  However, he doesn’t want to be known as a super hero.  He only wants to be known for “what they can see in my life or hear in my message…” 2 Cor. 12:6

Friday, February 20, 2015

Better Together Devotional: Stand for the Good Fight by Author and Board Member Stacy A. Davis


Family Fun Icebreaker: How do you fight for good?

Topic Question: What is the Right Lifestyle in God’s Community?

Today’s Big Idea: Stand for the Good Fight
There is a constant fight between good and evil in the world. If you choose to be in God’s community, then you are committing to make a stand for God and His moral values. God has a moral law in the Ten Commandments. Spend time reading Exodus 20:1-18. In these passages, God tells you to recognize that He alone is God and to only worship Him; He warns you not to make an idol and worship it. You should not use God’s name (or Jesus Christ) as a cuss word. He encourages people to rest on God’s special day and focus on Him. You should honor and provide for your parents, as they grow older. The Commandments also state don’t murder, keep your marriage vows, don’t steal, don’t lie, and don’t want other people’s things. Jesus encourages you to be selfless by saying, “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you” (Luke 6:31 [NASB]). God tells His people to stand firm in their faith. He encourages you to put on spiritual armor, or know spiritual truth, that will help you resist evil (Ephesians 6). There are many references to this internal struggle that lives in hearts and minds. The struggle is to either agree with God and live His right way, or disagree and live apart from God.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

We Love Social Media!

Hey there SkyMoms!

We just wanted to encourage you to follow Sky Ranch on social media. It is quick and easy! We would love for you to be connected to Sky Ranch and instantly see pictures, news, scripture, and great advice while you are on Social Media!

Here are the different ways you can connect with us.
















Monday, February 16, 2015

A Few Observations from my Poinsettia - Terrie Chevaillier



This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

I received a Poinsettia this year as a hostess gift from a cookie exchange at had in my home. One of my friends who attends yearly, brings me a poinsettia as a thank you for inviting her each year. I enjoy it for a few weeks, and then it lacks water and light and dies. It lacks water and light because I forget to water it and I usually put it in my kitchen which receives little natural light. This year I decided to not do what I always do in my lack of care and concern and actually take care of it and just see how long it would live.

I watered it daily, but kept it in my kitchen. It was living, but not growing. I saw a few little green leaf buds and watched them for a couple of weeks to see if they would open up and flourish. I moved it closer to a lamp I had in my kitchen. I was expecting something different this year, but only changed one of my past observations-water. I tried to convince myself that light from the lamp might possibly work- this is embarrassing to even admit.

After about a month, I decided to make a place for it by a window in my living room. I gave up my fear that water from the plastic container it was in would leak and ruin my furniture or hardwood floor. Simple fix- I just put a large coaster under it to catch the water.

Within a couple of days, those green leaves that I had waited to further come out into big green leafy leaves suddenly appeared and with them came some little buds of red leafy flowers as well. A couple of weeks later, I turned it so the other side of the plant would begin to experience the same thing from natural light. Water and natural light were proving to work. As I write this in mid-February, all is still well and thriving with the poinsettia. I have had to remove a few dead leaves, but not many! Spiritual growth in myself and in my children can be closely related.

I can often keep doing the same things and expect different results. I can change one thing but maybe not fully obey another area God is calling me to in my own walk or in my parenting. Growth stalls. Or, I see a little growth and get hopeful, but don’t take it to the next level of obedience. Complacency or fear could be the root behind those two.

However, when I move fully into the light or encourage my children to move fully into the light- not quasi light or fake light, or convenient worldly light, but the light of God’s Word, His Spirit, His people, and prayer, I see growth! This usually takes me going first. When I grow, everyone around me gets to enjoy my growth. When my children grow, I get to enjoy seeing God in their new growth and then others they are around get to enjoy it too! Full circle growth ripples out further than we can imagine. 


God’s Word, God’s Spirit, God’s people and prayer produce growing and life giving moms and kids! I am not promising that no pruning might have to come- but if so-then you get to watch for the new and even better growth to come!



Spiritual encouragement from Terrie Chevaillier.

Friday, February 13, 2015

Easy Crockpot Recipe from Ashleigh Paulk Pogue!




I was married last April and gained two amazing kids, Jackson (6) and Presley (4). 
Being a new mom I am always looking for easy week night recipes that the kids will like.  This is by far one of their favorite recipes and they even ask for seconds! It’s one of the easiest crockpot recipes and it only has four ingredients! 



Cool Ranch Chicken Tacos
Serves 4-6

Here is what you need:
- 4 chicken breast (about 1 1/2 lbs)
- 1 packet of taco seasoning
- 1 packet of ranch dressing
- 14 ounces of chicken broth

1.     Put chicken breasts, taco and ranch mixes and chicken broth in the crock pot.
2.     Set crock pot on low for 5 hours.
3.     After 5 hours, shred the chicken.
4.     Replace the lid and continue cooking on low for 30 more minutes.
5.     Serve

Toppings you can use: Lettuce, cheese, tomato, avocado, salsa, or really anything else you like on your tacos. 




Hope you guys enjoy!


Ashleigh Pogue

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Better Together Devotional: Wisdom by Author and Board Member Stacy A. Davis!



Family Fun Icebreaker: How do you show wisdom?

Topic Question: What is the Right Lifestyle in God’s Community?

Today’s Big Idea: Wisdom
In God’s community, you are to show wisdom. Understanding wisdom starts by knowing that you have no real wisdom of your own and that all wisdom comes from God. God tells you to seek Him. Through your search, you will find Him and His loving-kindness. You seek God by humbling yourself and asking for His help. He wants you to ask for His help, no matter how simple your task may seem. You can pray to God at anytime, not just at your meals or before bedtime. You can pray and ask for God’s help before you talk with a friend, draw a picture, do your homework, play a soccer game, or just spending time alone with Him. You can pray if your heart is happy and thankful, or sad and needs healing. He just wants you to pray and seek Him first. Then, He will show you the right way to His wisdom. God speaks His wisdom to you through scripture and His Holy Spirit will call scripture to mind for you. If you spend time in God’s Word, you will be amazed at His wisdom!

Friday, February 6, 2015

Showing Your Children LOVE on Valentine's Day!



LOVE is in the AIR!!! I LOVE it! The day of LOVE is upon us.  It’s funny that we pick one day to show LOVE when we really do LOVE all year long.

Teaching children LOVE is easy.  When they are born we kiss all over them, hug them, change them, feed them, play with them, soothe them, care for them.  All in the name of LOVE.  We show them LOVE by the way we serve them.  Boom!

They learn about LOVE by seeing it in action.  My girls were almost 5 years apart in age.  When Camryn (now 21) was born Caroline (now 25) was almost 5 and starting to learn the concept of what Valentine’s Day was all about.  The “Day” came around and I was still homebound after having a C-section and not feeling up to putting on real clothes (many of you understand this thought process) so we opted to stay home.  But it being the day of LOVE and all, I wanted to make it special.  So I birthed a new “tradition” of bringing out the fine china, serving pieces, etc and making a full-fledged nice, nice dinner for the family. 

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Better Together Devotional: Friendship by Author and Board Member Stacy A. Davis



Family Fun Icebreaker: How are you a good friend to others?

Topic Question: What is the Right Lifestyle in God’s Community?

Today’s Big Idea: Friendship
Once you join God’s community, God wants you to live the lifestyle that He describes in the Bible. Do you know what a lifestyle according to God looks like? Let’s start by looking at friendship. What does God say a good friend is? If you are not sure, pray and ask God’s Helper, the Holy Spirit, to teach you. Reading God’s Word, the Holy Bible, will help you determine what makes a good friend. You can also learn from godly role models. God has many scriptures about friendship. Go to any Bible website and type in the search engine for the word “friend” or variations of the word “friend” in the Bible. Notice all the valuable information that you can learn about friendship from scripture! The scriptures listed below show that God encourages friends to talk to each other, give good counsel, and to share useful ideas. God even asks friends to encourage each other to be better people.