Thursday, June 25, 2015

What I Wish I Had Known - Stacy Davis




The first time that I sent my first child to Sky Ranch summer camp, I recalled my own days as a camper at Sky Ranch.

I was a "city girl" who first attended Sky Ranch at 6 years old and continued as a camper for the next 9 years. From those years as a camper, I knew that it was going to be warm (okay - hot!) and anything in the water - the lake, pool or waterslide is the place to be!

So as a mom, I knew to pack several swimsuits because your swim suit is not always dry from the previous day. And I knew that by the end of the week my trunk was going to smell like the lake - just accept it! It happened every year no matter what I did. 

From my camper days, I knew that being sweaty and a little dirty all the time was just a part of life at camp. Again, just accept it. It realized that it made me "the city girl" a better person somehow to be able to accept myself as sticky and dirty. Plus, everyone else it too.

As a mom, I knew to not fuss if at camp pick-up my child was messy, uncombed or dirty. You try looking good with a pile of crumpled clothes that smell like the lake and are probably a little damp because you threw the wet dirty clothes in with the clean ones!

Keeping my wet clothes separate from my dry clothes is a useful life lesson to learn and actually helpful when I was in college (which is a little scary!)...and is best learned through experience!

From camper days, I knew the most important time of day to me was cracker barrel (snack time) and it was the time that I could buy candy or ice cream myself. No parent controlled my purchase! I was free to pick! It was empowerment somehow!

And I knew the worst feeling was to be told that you didn't have enough money in your account the last day. Truly heart-breaking!

As a mom, I knew to put more than the recommended amount in the account so it did not run out.

As a camper, I remembered that a very special bond that develops each year with each cabin of girls and the counselors. It is the bond that you get when you have gone through an experience that strengthens you. The friendships formed impacted me for the better.

 As a mom, I knew that by sending my children to camp there would be an inward growth that I would not necessarily see right away, but they were learning.

From my camper days, I learned two important lessons. I was the oldest child and more cautious, it was tough for me to leave my family and stay somewhere else. I learned to trust God to take care of me. He is always present, even when my family is not. I also learned that other people really do care for me and that I will be okay. Both truths helped me when I moved away for college.

As a mom, I knew that I was giving my children that same hope and encouragement of wherever you go, you are not alone. God is always with you and there are others that God sends into your life who love you and you will be okay. Such simple, but valuable life lessons to learn!



~Stacy


Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Awesome God - Heather Stoner


I had the sweetest thing happen the other day.

Here is the story...

The night that I stayed for Opening Show and Hunter drove out, her Tahoe was giving her problems. So she called me, and I told her to pull over at the gas station at I-20 and 110 and I would come and get her. I didn't want anything to take away from that night and knew we'd deal with the car after opening. After opening show, we went back to it and we limped it down the road a few miles. I KNEW it wasn't making it the 40 min. home.  I asked God for a safe place to pull it into and leave it for the night.  110 is a country road without a lot of businesses or places to pull it into. Finally I saw a little business with an empty parking lot and pulled it in... As I tried to back it into a space, the transmission went out and the car got stuck in the middle of the small parking lot...

The next day I contacted AAA early and met them out there. While I was waiting for the tow truck to come, one of the guys from the business came out to ask about the truck that was sitting diagonally in his parking lot...I told him the tow truck was on it's way and thanked him for his patience. We got to chatting and I asked them what they did since his shirt had the name FAITHCO on it and the T was a cross. He said they did contracting and electrical...just what I needed.

So, Chad came out to the house and we walked through all my projects. Then, he made arrangements for Chris, the electrician, to come out. When I told mom and Tina how I had found the company I mentioned the story of coming back from Sky and God leading me to their empty parking lot in the middle of no where. We finished up our business, he left, and we started dinner. Then Chris called me from his car on his way home.

This is the good part!!! He had just picked his son up from Quest and he had been praying about the 2012 commitment and how to give. He was wondering if I would be willing to write the check that I would be writing to him for the electrical work out to SKY RANCH INSTEAD as a donation.  After registering what he had just said I said "of course"!!! He said they have known Sky for years and it's leadership and he wanted to bless them...ME TOO!! What an amazing thing to sit down at the table and tell mom, Tina, and Hunter such a God thing out of a $3500 transmission job!

GOD used this to have me meet Chad, who sent over Chris, who happened to pray that morning for a way to bless Sky Ranch, who I happened to thank for being patient with our truck that broke down coming home from Sky a couple of weeks ago.

Well, ladies, I hope that encourages you that God loves the ministry!


Thursday, June 18, 2015

What I Wish I Had Known - Tori Miller



It wasn’t until seven years ago that we learned of Sky Ranch, and immediately signed up both our girls. They had an amazing first experience and have never looked back, as they have been going every summer since!  We just wish we had learned of Sky Ranch for our girls at an earlier age and started them going younger.  I highly suggest sending your camper to camp as soon as you think they are ready and you are ready…earlier the better, so they can begin to make memories and be apart of something special each summer.  


This was written my my oldest daughter this week as we dropped off her younger sister at Sky Ranch for Sigma Leadership.

"After going to Sky Ranch for 7 years, it's weird that I'm not going to be a camper this year because I completed all the phases of the Lifemap yet I am so excited for my sister and everyone else getting to soak in these last moments as a sigma camper at Ute Trail. I'm forever wishing y'all could just pack me in your suitcase and take me along. /// I am so thankful for Sky Ranch and all that it has taught me about myself, relationships and most importantly my walk with the Lord. The Life Map of Sky Ranch has grown me into the person I am today-starting young and now about to enter college. I am so thankful for the friends that I got to see today as they are pouring their heart into these kids all summer- I can’t wait till I’m a counselor with y’all next year. praying and see y'all in a few weeks!!!”