Daily Bible Study #9

In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

Deuteronomy 30:16 KJV
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Deuteronomy 30
 
1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,

2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;

3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.

4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:

5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.

6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.

8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.

9 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:

10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.

12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;

16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;

18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.

19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Homeschooling

I would like to do an article today about homeschooling. In previous writings I have stated that I have chosen to homeschool my three children. My son, the eldest child, is in middle school. My middle child is in preschool and the youngest is yet to reach school age. I wish to share my invaluable first hand knowledge with those that may be contemplating a switch. The first steps can be daunting and below are the things I  wish I knew when I was starting out. I do not judge people who choose to teach their child differently. This is simply my informative view on the subject.

Upon a quick internet search and a few reddit threads and one quickly realizes options for homeschooling are almost limitless. Basically there are three categories each option falls into. Public virtual learning, private online schools and traditional homeschooling. Each group has its own classifications and rules which only adds to the confusion.

Public virtual learning is brick and mortar schooling but strictly online. Children have live classes with teachers that they are required to attend along with daily assignments. Standard state testing is also mandatory for specific grades which are held in person. Parent participation is usually minimal although a success coach is recommended to provide extra support when needed. This can be a parent or another adult. Public virtual learning is free and a laptop as well as other materials are provided by the school. Schedule flexibility and requirements vary based on which programs are selected.


Private or charter schools are independent organizations that provide curriculum to students. Some offer live classes with teachers while others have recorded sessions to watch. Both typically have modules or class work to follow as well. The curriculum includes the core subjects along with various electives. These types of schools usually require tuition. The prices vary depending on grade, location, and sector. Each school determines their own requirements and testing expectations.


Traditional homeschooling offers both free and paid options. The parent is responsible for determining what  the daily schedule consists of, along with what is being taught.  Several platforms offer different materials for each subject and grade. Some of these offer entire curriculums for parents to utilize, others focus on specific courses. One platform may have a grading tool and quiz maker when the next one does not. One may have printables while the others require workbooks. Whether it be recordings, printables, slide shows, games, crafts, books, worksheets, or PDF, the list is endless on available resources. It is up to the parent to teach, grade, and monitor the students’ work and success.

Another important aspect is accreditation. While all public schools are accredited, some private and homeschooling options are not. When it comes to highschool and graduation, this aspect can make some people nervous. While accredited schools provide diplomas, non-accredited schools do not. However, there are still ways to obtain a diploma within those types of schools and are essentially the same award.

I have tried brick and mortar school and quickly found it was not a great fit. I then went to public online learning and finally to traditional homeschooling. Each one has its own downfalls but any choice allows the child to learn from the comfort of their home, or wherever they choose. .

Each and everyday I wake up and my focus is on my children. I spent the whole morning with them making meaningful memories. When I watch the news of the world today it is appalling what kids are exposed to at any given age. I will not name out specifics, there are hundreds of examples to choose from  in regards to children being taught wrong or taken advantage of. We have one shot as  parents to teach our children what they need to survive in this world. Why not make every day count.

It is a mere 6,579 days from birth to 18 years. That is approximately 2,550 school days. That number seems so small when looking from this perspective doesn’t it?


I’m not going to say homeschooling is for everyone, because it’s not. I’m not saying it will be easy or stress free. All I’m saying is anything is possible if you set your mind to it.

I think I have finally found what works for my family and I didn’t find it on the first try. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Homeschooling does not require a degree or some vast database of knowledge.
It does however, require parents to take an active role in their child’s learning. I am blessed to have the ability to homeschool my children. I am grateful for every milestone reached and goal achieved. As always my children are my greatest accomplishment.

If homeschooling sounds like the right path to explore, always start with your local laws and statutes. Every state has their own requirements and guidelines that homeschoolers must follow. Most states require a letter of intent to homeschool to be sent to your local board of education office. This will exclude you from any truancy issues. Other states require you to keep a portfolio as well to document the work that has been done. Typically these requirements fall under the traditional homeschooling route.

Another worry is socialization. Even that can be resolved with a little bit of effort. I was able to find a local homeschool community that meets up regularly. I have found sports through local churches and independent organizations. I have seen older children volunteer in the community and local groups put on dances and parties. Socialization is still an option, you just have to look for them. You don’t have 7 flyers coming home in a folder offering girl scout cookies, basketball and cheerleading sign ups and dance classes. However, they still exist in the community and are separate from the public school sector. Start by joining local Facebook groups and looking for co-ops in your area.

I went to brick and mortar school pre-k through senior year. When I graduated I had no idea how to sustain myself or what it took to make it in the real world. I couldn’t write a check, form a resume, pay a bill, or make an appointment. I was clueless on what I wanted to do with my life let alone what I NEEDED to do. My goal is to give my children a better start than I had, which will hopefully carry on for generations.

Thank you for your time and I hope someone out there finds this article helpful.

Teach Me To Be Wild

Teach me to be wild
and swim in your grace
Teach me to be wild
within your embrace

A leap,a jump without fail
Without a doubt I know you will be there
Helping me with the burdens to bare.
The armor of God you gave me to wear

Lead, guide, direct, and protect
It’s your will not mine
God you are divine

Teach me to be wild
Teach me to be free
Teach me to follow after thee

With childlike faith, blind and worry free
I trust in you God Almighty.

Teach me to be wild 
and seek your hearts desires
Teach me to be wild
and what your love requires.

A conscious effort each and every day
I take a moment just to pray.
A moment in your presence, a moment of peace.
A moment for all my trouble to release.

Teach me to  be wild
Teach me to be free
Teach me your reality

Written by Heather Congrove

Thank you for reading!

Daily Bible Study #8

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luke 16:10 KJV

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Luke 16

1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.

4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

5 So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?

13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Weekend Writing Prompt #405

Weekend Writing Prompt #405: This weekend your challenge is to write a poem or a piece of prose in exactly 27 words using the word “Gallant”. By Sammi Cox

I don’t necessarily agree with my poem but it follows the guidelines 😃.

Can a man with gallant also have talent or must one always lack? The duel of the two seems far and few, a sad but true fact.

Daily Bible Study #7

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

James 1:19 KJV

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King James Bible
Online Study Bible
Bible word or verse

James Chapter 1 KJV

1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

1:9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

1:10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

The Importance of Reading the Bible to Your Child.

The Importance of Reading the Bible to Your Children.

I was raised in a Christian family. I heard the name of God from an early age but my family did not practice Christianity. My mother went to church from time to time when I was really young but usually I attended with my grandmother. As I grew older she went less and less and so did I. I have no memories of my father coming along with me.
I won my first Bible at an Easter egg hunt at my grandmother’s church and I still have it today. When I tried to read it as a child it was confusing and the story line was difficult to follow. I set it on a shelf and
drifted away from God for some time.

I was taught about a condemning God. Many times in Bible study I was told if I was bad I would go to hell. I will not say that is inaccurate but let’s remember to teach our children the importance of repentance and forgiveness and how to do it. That is one of God’s greatest aspects that the Bible speaks of often. Don’t forget to explain that we all fall short and these fleshy bodies have a lot of sinful desires. Shame and embarrassment should not weigh so heavily that they fear it is too much for God himself. Teach them to lay their burdens at His feet and ask for forgiveness. When struggling with addiction or temptation, pray for strength and guidance. God will never tempt someone beyond their limit and will always give a way out.


It is our job as parents to take the Bible and make it digestible for our children. We must start at a young age and continue to teach at any given opportunity. If a child sees a parent reading a Bible they will too. If a parent reads the Bible to them they will gain better understanding and be able to ask questions along the way. Going to church and sitting in a pew is not enough to light a fire for God  in our children’s hearts. We must play an active role and help kindle that fire while they are young and well into adulthood. We must not rely only on a  preacher to teach us the Bible, we must read it for ourselves also.

Where would I be today if my parents would have shown more initiative? How much bigger would my knowledge base be if I had examples to follow. Would I have a deeper understanding if I did have that particular head start? I am not downing or judging my parents, I am sure they did this best they could, just as I am trying to do today. Having children causes internal searching as we desire to provide better for our children. We must heal ourselves to no longer repeat the undesired behavior.
I am determined to teach my children better than I was taught.

I do Bible study weekly consisting of worksheets and reading from the Bible. We pray together and worship together. I noticed one day my son had little understanding of how to look up Bible verses. He knew there were chapters and verses but struggled to find any particular one when asked. I realized I had always provided that information and had created a gap in his comprehension. I adjusted our study activities and he has grown because of it.

I try to make study time fun and engaging especially for the younger ones. Crafts, mazes, coloring pages, counting, odd one out, find the differences and word searches are great ways to keep lessons engaging. I take the time to read aloud the word of God hoping I can hardwire His internal monologue into their brains. A quick web search can bring up thousands of free printable worksheets that suit children at all stages of learning. I use Trueway Kids for Bible study lessons but there are hundreds of others. Let’s give our children a head start. Let’s give them the armor of God to wear with confidence and knowledge to assist them their whole life. Let’s implant the word of God into their minds so it’s louder than the wickedness of the world. Prepare them for the battles and struggles before then. Only God can be with them when no one else can.

Writing is a Waste of Time

Describe a phase in life that was difficult to say goodbye to.

  Writing is a waste of time. That is what I told myself for 30+ years. I viewed it almost like a childish thing I should have put away a long time ago. Or rather, a toddler’s craft that is cute but has no real use or function. I would sit down, heavy heart and mind, and pour my soul onto the paper. Later on I would pick that same paper up and shame and embarrassment wouldn’t even allow me to read it. I would look at it and my mind refused to recognize the letters as words. Paudhtofhtskfbtorjjrdbdjfjjfb fkfjgjfofofbfkfjdbdbfjf fkfbfjfjfgbffkfnpajbfri jfjfahdjorbrhdhthjtotbkwlzbfogn is all I could see. It would result in another piece of work going into the trash, not even worthy enough to keep.

  Along came the digital era and somehow some of my writing made it to digital form. Although, still shoved into some random documents folder and forgotten about. At some point I ran up on a poem that I had written almost ten years prior. In fact, I shared that poem in my blog just a few days ago, it’s titled His Tiny Hands. I read the poem, thoroughly enjoying the flow and memories it brought of when my son was a little baby. I wondered who the author could be. I was shocked to see my name at the end of the rhymes.

  I began to wonder if others managed to escape the chopping block and started to search the crevasses of forgotten folders.  I found a handful of complete poems along with bits and pieces of others. The more I read the more foolish I felt for ever selling myself short. Sure, I’m no magic word master that’s going to go down in history for the great words ever written. But I am a writer and that’s good enough for me.

   I was told it would be a good move to create an author website to promote my debut novel. Following a clueless Google search I found myself here at word press. I created my page just under two weeks ago and I am astonished at the community I have stumbled on to. I am not a big fan of social media so I must say this platform is refreshing and a blessing from God. Not only can I present my novel, but just as importantly, I now have a friendly environment to share all of my writings. To add a double layer of excitement, I can also share daily Bible studies to proclaim the glory of God to readers all around the world! How awesome is that!?

  A phase in my life that has been difficult to say goodbye to is my self doubting phase. Gone are the days I throw stuff away. Goodbye to the days I ridicule myself for writing. Hello to a bright and exciting future of blogging. Hello to allowing myself the pleasure to write freely.

  I do not have the words to express how grateful and excited I am for my future writing journey. I am so grateful for the likes, comments, and  subscribers I have thus far and am thrilled to have every reader along for the ride. I don’t know where this blog will take me, but I know I will have a pencil and notebook in my hand.

Thank you for reading and have a blessed day.

God, Birth, Time and Relativity

I was watching TV with my husband last night and came across a clip of this fascinating video. This morning I began the search to find the original video and poster. I was incredibly annoyed to find I could only view it on TikTok. After convincing myself to finally download the infamous app I was able to retrieve the full clip.

I have not watched any more of this gentleman’s videos but I plan to do so soon. He also has a YouTube channel called Dakala Day. I love his perspective on birth and the passage of time. It makes a lot of sense the way he explains it, especially the part about relativity.  I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did.  I am limited to 5 minutes of video and the original video is just over ten minutes. I cut it just under the 5 minute mark and posted in two videos.  Hope you enjoy! For those that do have TikTok here is the original link https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2utudnS/

Daily Bible Study #6

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Colossians 3:15 KJV
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Before I get started on the chapter I want to thank everyone who has been with me on this short journey thus far. I wasn’t sure how the community would respond to a daily post such as this but I am pleased with the outcome. Thanks for the likes and comments and the encouragement to continue. I look forward to studying the Bible with you.

Colossians 3

3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Below is a video which covers Colossians 3.15 and previous verses.