IT Won't Depart from Them- A New Look at Proverbs 22:6

As moms, many of us carry a certain amount of burden for the spiritual condition and future of our kids.

I think about it often. I wonder, Will my kids have their own faith? Will they stay faithful to Jesus after they grow up? Am I doing everything I can to make sure that happens?

Sometimes it is scary. What if I'm doing it all wrong?

There is a verse in the Bible that says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6 NKJV).

That can be a comforting verse, or it can add guilt if your child grows up and does depart from it. Then the question changes to What did I do wrong?

Ravi Zacharias was on my car radio the other day teaching on parenthood. He discussed Proverbs 22:6 and said in the original language the verse could lend itself more to Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old it will not depart from him.

That interpretation was comforting to me because I was reminded ultimately my children are responsible for their own relationship with the Lord, as we all are.

I can't do it wrong because it isn't up to me. My children have freewill and all that I am trying to pour into them will not depart from them when they are old. It will be in their hearts to draw from as they live out their own faith.

If they stray, they will be haunted by it until they return to Truth. It won't depart from them.

My dream for my kids is that they will continue in the faith and will not have to ever know the emptiness of a life without purpose, a life without hope, a life without true love, a life without Jesus. That they will be rescued from sin and will spend Eternity in Heaven with Him.

I'm thankful that He will not let go of them. And I'm thankful for their beautiful childlike faith right now, a faith that is so strong despite my failures and successes as their mom.

It is all their own.

It will always be their own.

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Rest for the Weary

During my study time, I read this paraphrase of Matthew 11:28-29 and felt like it was a memo of love to me this morning and figured I couldn't be the only one who needed it.

So here is an invitation today to you from Jesus:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly. (The Message)


Learning the unforced rhythms of grace today,

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My Testimony

My testimony is featured here this month. I'm humbled and so grateful for God's healing and incredible blessings in my life.

"For you are good.
For you are good.
For you are good, to me!"

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Don't Despise the Journey

If you don't like the number on your scale. It is probably because you aren't weighing yourself correctly:

The proper way to weigh yourself! : )

I've shared on here before (and more on my fitness blog) about my struggle to maintain my weight. It has been a life-long battle and one I often doubt I'll ever win.

Whoever coined the phrase "Yo-Yo" dieter must have had me in mind. My past is full of defeat and victory in this Battle of the Bulge.

Last year was a year of victory. This year has been a year of stress eating, blues, and 25 unwanted pounds back on my body. It makes me feel so ashamed and unhappy.

I have no one to blame but myself. It was my hands grabbing comfort food. It was my mind saying, "Reward yourself" after a stressful day.

I used to beg, "Make me skinny, Lord."

Now I've been crying out, "Change me, Lord!" I am so tired of the up and down trip on the scale and the way it messes with my mind, emotions, and self-esteem.

His answer is, "I am changing you."

To which I respond, "Not fast enough."

I'm reading a book called, The Body God Designed: How to Love the Body You've Got While You Get the Body You Want. When I read this part the other day, I knew I had my answer:

You need to accept that you are on a journey. The journey itself is not a waste of time because along the way you are going to learn about God and you are going to learn about yourself. Do not despise God because He's asking you to take baby steps toward your destination instead of miraculously transporting you there in one fell swoop.

I am learning that God is changing me from the inside out. He wants me to be healthy, but although my physical health is important, its temporal, and secondary to my spiritual health which is eternal. That doesn't make the journey easy, it has been TOUGH lately, but I'm learning to not despise it, to accept who I am right now and God's love, to grow from my mistakes, and to not give up. This is God's way of doing a permanent fix in me, not a quick shallow one, and that's worth the wait.

What kind of journey does He have you on at the moment?

Praying for you!

Love,

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Glitter Glitter Everywhere: A Fancy Nancy Birthday Party

Recently, Youngest Princess turned seven! I say it at every new milestone, "How can my baby girl be that old?"

I'm definitely trying to give up blinking all together.

There isn't much that Youngest Princess cares about more than being fancy. She is the girliest of girly girls. When she decided she wanted a Fancy Nancy party, I wasn't the least bit surprised. Her "posh soiree" (that's a fancy way of saying birthday party) was a huge success.

It was a lot of work, but such a fun theme for a party. I spent a lot of time scouring the Internet for ideas, so if you stumbled upon my blog while you were searching for ideas for your own Fancy Nancy party- Welcome to Everyday Becky! : )

As the guests arrived, they stepped into "Becky's Beauty Parlor" (a.k.a. the front porch) where I sprayed them down with glitter and each were given their own pair of fancy sun glasses.

Then we decorated crowns and purses to take to the tea party.


A fancy chef prepared and served tasty delicacies to the tea party guests.


Ooh La La!



Youngest Princess blows out her candle on the "Leaning Tower of Frosting."

This was NOT a cake to write home about. Youngest Princess wanted a tall tower cake, which I tried to make, but once it was made it sunk and shifted and was actually quite ugly, but I'm thankful little girls think anything with crystal sugar sparkles and pink frosting is beautiful. : )

Her friends were so generous:

So were Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Joe:

Is there anything better than cold hard cash??? Hee Hee.

And finally, we played "Pin the Cherry on the Parfait" which was her idea and the one thing Youngest Princess had her heart set on for the party.

This was such a fun (and messy) party. We will be vacuuming glitter for a very long time. If you are planning a Fancy Nancy party of your own, recruit reinforcements. Thank you Daiquiri, Nancy, Jen, and Angela!!! I could not have pulled this off without your help. I'm so thankful for great friends.

Happy Birthday Princess! I'm so proud of the beautiful girl you are inside and out. I love you!

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The Songs I'm Singing Today

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