Greetings from Sky Ranch! We are thrilled that you and your daughter(s) will be joining us for the Father Daughter weekend retreat, February 7-9, 2014. Our entire ministry team is hard at work, planning and preparing for an awesome weekend event. From check-in on Friday night until you leave us on Sunday, you will have countless opportunities for fun and purposeful moments with your daughter(s), during a weekend experience that is designed to help you create lifelong and life-changing memories. You ll receive encouragement and advice from other dads, have intentional and intimate moments of sharing and bonding with your daughter, and HAVE A BLAST along the way! Enclosed is some information that should help you prepare and pack for the weekend, including a schedule and what to bring list. During check-in, be sure to sign up for our additional Saturday activities. Please note that horse activities are an additional fee. We have also enclosed a FOR DAD S EYES ONLY information sheet about a special time of blessing your daughter. Please read over the material and prayerfully consider how God will direct this important time. We continue to prayerfully prepare for your arrival and anticipate great things from this weekend! We know that God has something specific in store for each of you please be in prayer as you prepare for this time together, that God would really do a new and cool thing in your relationships! We are so excited that you are coming and look forward to spending time with you. If we can answer any questions for you, please let us know. You can reach us at 903.266.3300. See you soon!! Sincerely, Linda S. Paulk, CEO
CHECK IN & DINNER: Please enter through the main gate and head into camp. Our staff will meet you at your vehicle, and direct you to Gove Lodge and the green parking lot. You may arrive anytime between 6:30 and 7:00 pm. Please note that we will not be serving dinner on Friday night, so you will need to eat before arriving. Registration begins at 7:00 pm and you will take a Father Daughter photo at that time. NEED TO KNOW: Dinner Date & Barn Dance Saturday night s Dinner Date & Rodeo Dance Party is sure to be a great time for everyone. Be sure to pack your favorite western attire. Boots, hats, and all things cowboy will help add to the atmosphere and the fun of the evening s events. Linens If you paid for private accomodations, Sky Ranch is providing bed linens, bath towels and washcloths for your cabin. If you are staying in semi-private accomodations, you will need to bring sleeping bags or bedding for twin-sized beds, as well as your bath towels. Fishing You will have time in your schedule to fish at our Sky Ranch Lake, if you choose. However, Sky Ranch will not be providing gear for this activity, so bring your own poles, tackle, bait, and whatever is necessary, if you and your daughter will choose fishing as one way of spending time together. Other Activities Trail rides will be available at two different times on Saturday. You must sign up for this activity at registration, and cost is $13 per person. Riders must be 8 years old or older to participate. WHAT TO BRING: Outdoor clothes you can play in (could get messy) Toiletries Tennis shoes or closed toed shoes (some activities REQUIRE closed toes) Western attire for Saturday night s Barn Dance Bible, journal, and pen Camera VERY IMPORTANT to capture all of your memories! Jeans, sweatshirt, or lightweight jacket typically, days are around 60 degrees, nights in the 40 s Water bottle (optional, but a good idea) Insect repellant Poncho-raincoat (Let s hope this won t be needed!) Flashlight Gift for daughter (see For Dad s Eyes Only page)
SCHEDULE FRIDAY 7:00 pm Registration & Father/Daughter Photo 7:45 pm Welcome, Intro, & Orientation 8:00 pm Father Daughter Session 1 8:45 pm Campfire and Night Ziplines 10:00 pm Back to cabins and time for bed SATURDAY 8:00 am Breakfast 9:00 am Father/Daughter Session 2 10:00 am Hang time with Dad *Trail Rides *In the woods: Skeet shooting, archery & bb guns; hiking trails & more *Chillin around camp: mini golf, disc golf, horseshoes & tetherball; Dad & Me craft project; ping pong; jumping pillow *At the lake: canoeing, fishing 12:00 pm Lunch 1:00-5:00 pm Free time with Dad 5:00 pm Cabin time to get ready for Dinner Date & Barn Dance Party 5:30 pm 6:00 pm Father/Daughter Dinner 7:15 pm Barn Dance Party! 10:00 pm Back to cabins and time for bed SUNDAY 8:30 am Brunch 9:30 am Sunday Gathering and Counselor Panel 10:45 am Departure
For Dad s Eyes Only : Father/Daughter Weekend A dad s job is to make his daughter courageous. Fearless. To make her feel beautiful. To give her a sense of adventure. To make her feel secure and confident. The relationship between a dad and a daughter is very simple. She will love her father and trust him completely, forever. Because he s her first love. Her first hero. The first man in her life. Father to Daughter: Life lessons on Raising a Girl. Harry H Harrison Jr. It is a big job and not just anyone can do it. You were hand selected by God to instill in your little girl a sense of security, hope, and confidence that comes from experiencing the love of her heavenly Father through you. Don t worry, you don t need to be perfect, but you do need to be present and purposeful. This weekend you will have the opportunity to be both. On Saturday, you will have the opportunity to bless your little girl with a life giving moment called,. We have asked a variety of grown women to answer the following question. Whether he ever said it or not, what is it that you needed to hear from your dad when you were a little girl? Based on their response we have designed a time for you to speak these life giving words into your daughters life. * For Dad s with daughters who have attended before: Focus your thoughts on the past year. She can t hear this stuff enough. But make sure to use different examples and show her that you have been paying attention to her life. Preparation for a special time of blessing with your daughter: Here is how it will work. You will be given an opportunity to invite your daughter to join you for a walk around camp because you have something important to share with her. As you walk, tell her in your own words: 1. I love being your father because a. You might say something to this end: "I can't believe God chose ME to be your dad! Of all the dads in the world, He chose Me! He must think we make a good team. " The connection that you and her were brought together by God might mean something to the girls. Sometimes Dads and daughters don't relate too much because of different interests, abilities, etc. However, the fact that God chose to put you two together as a dad/daughter team is something that might hit home. b. You can let her know how hard it is to be a good father but that you really are trying to do your best. Let her know that you want to be a part of her life. Make sure to say this specifically I know I may seem busy sometimes or not interested, but I am. You are more important than work or anything else in my life. c. Let her know why you love spending time with her. Remind her of a time with her that was special to you. Be specific. Tell a funny story or serious one. Either way, try to let her know how that time made you feel.
d. Let her know you see that she is growing up and love who she is becoming. Let her know that you understand how hard it is to grow up even though it may not seem like it a times. Let her know how much you worry about her and want to protect her because you are her dad and will never let anything happen to her if you can help it. e. NEVER MAKE HER FEEL LIKE IT IS HARD TO BE HER FATHER. It is just hard to be a father because you want to be a good one and you don t always have all of the answers. She is a great daughter and that is why you want to do such a good job for her. After you have walked for a while, sit down with her and tell her in your own words 1. I love you. I am proud of you. I think you are beautiful inside and out. 2. I believe in you because you are you. You are good enough as is. 3. You don t have to win everything or be the best. Just be who God created you to be and never compromise your faith or character trying to be something someone else makes you feel like you need to be. 4. In my eyes, you are a princess. And you deserve a prince. Don t settle for boys that don t deserve you. You deserve someone who will love you like a princess. (your girls may be too young for this. Your call.) 5. We will go through some hard times together. You may not always like me or the decisions I make, but I still love you. There is nothing you will ever do to make that change. On the other side trouble, I will still be here. I will always be here for you. At this point, you will give her a special gift (Examples of gifts you can bring for your daughter: ring, picture frame, charm, letter/notes from you, necklace, etc ). You can tell her that every time she sees it, remember that there is one man in the world who thinks she is the most beautiful amazing thing ever created and that your heart will always be tied to hers no matter what. After you have given her the gift, take some time to pray for her. Don t worry about the right words, just speak your heart to God the best you can. Remember that the words are not the thing here. She will feel the effort if you sincerely reach out. It s cool if you cry to. Don t be chicken. She won t think you are a sissy. When you have finished with this walk, you will join the rest of the group for a fun party at our stables. Take some time to think this through. In fact, we would encourage you to write your thoughts down in a letter and present them to her with the gift. She will cherish it for sure. But don t use the letter as a substitution for talking to her. Remember that your words don t matter as much your sincere attempt to say them. God won t let you fail in this. So enjoy it. She needs to hear from her first love. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31:30-31