Seven Quick Takes for This Week

I have been wanting to do a Seven Quick Takes, but life has been really busy. Right now I have a few minutes so here goes....

1. Here is a really creative way to hide power cords. Very creative! http://thehappyhousewife.com/home-management/

2. We have been in process putting up a clothes line outside. It is up, but I am looking forward to making flower beds around the two poles. Flowers have been purchased, and I am waiting for nicer weather. It has been raining and raining and raining. I cannot complain, however, after last year's drought.

3. We recently started cooking with Coconut Oil. It seems to cook very evenly, has a sweet taste, and is good for: supporting immune health, promotes weight loss and healthy metabolism, and helps skin stay healthy. With all the negative things I hear about a lot of oils it is encouraging to know that Coconut oil is actually helping our bodies out.

4. I loved this quote from Andrew Murray, “Humility is the only soil in which virtue takes root; a lack of humility is the explanation of every defect and failure. Humility is not so much a virtue along with the others, but is the root of all, because it alone takes the right attitude before God and allows Him, as God, to do all.” -Andrew Murray, Humility

5. This past week Lauren and I started taking a cake decorating class at Hobby Lobby. Ahem, I now understand why the cost of the class was so minimal. The list of Wilton Cake decorating supplies we need is endless. I guess the store is benefitting from selling all the supplies we must have for the class. Oh well, I think we are going to learn a lot. I am using my forty percent off coupons in abundance to help offset the cost of all these new supplies.

6. Last week I got a renewed burden to declutter our home. When all was said and done I had four or five black garbage sacks of things to haul off to the Goodwill. It never ceases to amaze me how we so quickly accumulate stuff. I guess with five children it happens very easily. It is always a freeing feeling to get rid of things. I never miss any of it either.

7. I will leave you with a powerful quote from Spurgeon. I love this.
"Do not dream that the path to heaven is up the hill of honor, it winds down into the valley of humiliation. Imagine not that you can grow great eternally by being great here. You must become less, and less, and less, even though you should be despised and rejected of men, for this is the path to everlasting glory."