Faithful Stewards

Lately, I have been reading about living a more "natural" life and therefore undergoing a slow transformation in my diet and in my home.  Why am I taking on this long, difficult (yet very important) task?  Because I believe that God calls His people to live in a way that encourages health in our bodies, homes and environment.  God created the fruits, vegetables and animals and called them "good".  He told us to eat of them and to use them to our benefit so that we may be better servants of Christ.  Unfortunately, technology, large corporations and greed has caused America to veer away from the good things that God has made and has created an altered environment.  Not all technology is corrupt (of course!) but in this case it has caused much destruction to our agricultural techniques and way of living.  In order to change this discouraging path, we have to start with what we buy and who we are supporting.

We are to be faithful stewards of the bodies He has given us, the food He provides for us, and the homes that He blesses us with.  I think this means that we are to take the best possible care of these blessings.  Just as we wouldn't want a gift we've given to a family member to be uncared for, God does not want us to be careless with our bodies, food and homes.  In these areas, I believe the best care is the natural way that God has provided us.  Some of us have veered off this way of living so much that we no longer think about what we are putting into our bodies and what we are cleaning with in our homes.  Some of us tend to go with the flow and the mass production of goods and think that it is the right way.  As Christians, I believe that it is our duty to gain wisdom in these areas and always be aware of what we welcome into our bodies,  homes and environment.    This is God's world, we are God's people, and we should be living as faithful stewards, showing others that we truly believe that He created the world and everything in it. 

I am not saying that we are to be hippies, tree huggers, and environmental activists but I am saying that we should care about the way God's creation is becoming tainted through greed, pride, and the hunger for more power.  Genetically modified foods are becoming the norm and they are causing all sorts of problems.  From problems on family farms, government restriction on the production of seeds, health problems due to GMO foods, species becoming extinct because of these practices, to large corporations trying to gain more control over American farms as well as overseas, our environment is suffering and we should not be supporting those who cause harm to God's creation.  This is a difficult task although one that is very important. 

Due to my strong belief in this serious subject, I have been making small steps towards eating more organic foods, shopping at our local farmers market, and using non-toxic cleaning products in our homes.  In addition to these steps, I am trying to be content with what I have and finding ways to reuse items that I already own.  This even means buying less clothing for myself (yikes! a hard one for me...) and creating new items out of things I have laying around the house.  While I am trying to be a better steward in all areas, it is not an easy journey and I am thankful for the encouragement I receive from books, websites, and even a documentary or two.  Here is a list of resources I currently use and some that I have enjoyed in the past.  I hope this helps you at least begin your own research and path to a more natural, God-glorifying way of life.  Pray, research, and find ways to a be a faithful steward so we all can be better equipped to serve Christ and teach others that God's creation truly is good.

Websites:

(While I am listing these websites for wonderful natural living info, I am not backing all beliefs of these individuals.)

www.passionatehomemaking.com (one I go to almost daily)

www.keeperofthehome.com

www.kitchenstewardship.com

www.reneeloux.com

www.organic.org

www.localharvest.org - lists all Farmer's Markets in your area

Books:

Healthy Homemaking: One Step at a Time  by Stephanie Langford (ebook available on www.keeperofthehome.com) - I am currently reading this and so far I love it!

Food, Inc.  by Karl Weber (a bit repetitive at times and although I don't agree with some of the information, it has some important info on our country's agricultural business practices; also a movie I plan on renting soon)

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

Plowing in Hope: Towards a Biblical Theology of Culture by David Bruce Hegeman  (not about "natural living" per se but about how the Christian is to view culture and what our culture is...very good book!)

Easy Green Living by Renee Loux (a great beginner's guide to living more naturally in the home)

Documentaries:

The Future of Food (LOTS of information about genetically modified food and big corporation farming)

King Corn (low budget but still has some interesting info)

Super Size Me (the effects of an unhealthy diet...more fun than factual)

Please share with me your thoughts on the subject and perhaps any resources you come across!

Fall in the Air and in the Oven

After witnessing many stores launch the start of the pumpkin season, I decided it was time to bring out the dried yellow leaves, not-so-scary jack-o-lantern candle holders, pumpkin scented candles, and other signs that welcome Fall into our home. The cool breeze has been brought upon us from the North and the smell in the air is crisp and clean. Fall has arrived a bit sooner than usual and I am thankful God has given us yet another reason to rejoice in His beautiful creation.

This morning, after decorating the inside and outside of the house with all of my Fall trimmings, it was time to dust off the can of pumpkin from last year (hey, it hasn't expired yet!) and try a new pumpkin muffin recipe. I just have to share this recipe because it is surprisingly delicious. My husband was only going to take one bite of Noah's leftover muffin, but decided it was too good to not eat all of it. Now that means it passed the most important test of all! So, in honor of the beginning of my favorite time of the year, I am sharing the recipe with you all. Happy Fall and Happy Baking!

Pumpkin Wheat Honey Muffins

1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree (I used more like 1 cup)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 honey
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Hot water

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan, or line with paper liners. Place the raisins in a cup, and add enough hot water to cover. Let stand for a few minutes to plump.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center, and put in eggs, pumpkin, oil, and honey. Mix just until the dry ingredients are absorbed. Drain excess water from raisins, and stir in along with the nuts. Spoon into muffin cups so they are about 2/3 full.
3. Bake for 18-20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan before removing from cups.

*recipe found on allrecipes.com and submitted by Colleen Moir Thank you, Colleen!

A Lost Art

My husband informed me of an article stating that the practice of cursive writing is being replaced by teaching computer skills. Schools are viewing handwriting as something done only when jotting down a note or writing down a grocery list therefore cursive is definitely not needed. Computers, texting, iphone and Kindles are becoming widely used among school-aged children and the need for handwriting is becoming almost obsolete.

"The decline of cursive is happening as students are doing more and more work on computers, including writing. In 2011, the writing test of the National Assessment of Educational Progress will require 8th and 11th graders to compose on computers, with 4th graders following in 2019." (quoted from an article by the Contra Costa Times "Cursive writing may be a fading skill, but so what?" 9/19/2009)

Yes, taking notes during class is sometimes essential but why spend time teaching the unique curves and loops that represent cursive handwriting? Are there any benefits? According to a Samuel L. Blumenfeld's phonics website (author of many books on the literacy of America, homeschooling, and phonics): "There are few things that help enhance a child's academic self-esteem more than the development of good handwriting. It helps reading, it helps spelling, and because writing is made easy, accurate, and esthetically pleasant, it helps thinking." (www.howtotutor.com/cursive) Back in the 1940's, it was thought that cursive was going out of style due to the typewriter and now our schools are phasing it out completely. Texting and Instant Messaging online has led to several acronyms that replace spelling out the entire word. I believe that with the loss of cursive and the increase of these acronyms, children are at a disadvantage in their spelling skills. Every computer has spell check and it looks like most don't even use that convenient option. Yes, cursive is essential to the educational well-being of our children. Cursive handwriting encourages the correct way to hold a pen and produces less pressure on the fingers. Teaching cursive first, then print later, is what was is highly suggested by Samuel L. Blumenfeld. Writing in cursive assists young readers through less confusion of letter recognition and helps word recognition through "spatial discipline". Blumenfeld also claims that it is easier to learn cursive because of the ease of the curves and curls.

Once again, I am thankful that I have chosen to homeschool my children so I can choose how and what they will learn (I'm not saying that every school is bad...there are some great schools out there!). Blumenfeld's approach to learning cursive first, print later, has persuaded me to look further into this method and most likely teach my children this way. The benefits of cursive are worth the extra effort, although it may not be "extra" at all. Teaching my children cursive may enable them to be better students, readers, and perhaps even more intelligent. I encourage you to check out Samuel L. Blumenfeld's phonics website, www.howtotutor.com, and possibly read some of his books. We must be diligent in our approach to learning the correct way to teach our children. If we teach our children as the world teaches, we will only raise children who will follow the majority and never ask "why?". But if we teach our children to be aware of what they are learning and why, it may help us raise Godly and intelligent children who will be leaders in their generation.

Book Review: The Hidden Art of Homemaking

Many homemakers may feel unfulfilled while at home because they do not allow themselves the time or freedom to be creative.  Keeping a clean house, doing the laundry, teaching the kids, doing the dishes, taking care of the dog, exercising, and other tasks seem to take precedence over our creative tendencies (although some of these tasks can include some added creativeness).  We put the desires that are deep within us on the back burner and our home life begins to seem dull due to lack of creativeness.  In The Hidden Art of Homemaking, Edith Schaeffer writes that every Christian should be creative because we are made in the image of Christ, the true Creator.  "Man was created that he might create.  It is not a waste of man's time to be creative.  It is not a waste to pursue artistic or scientific pursuits in creativity, because this is what man was made to be able to do.  He was made in the image of the Creator, and given the capacity to create - on a finite level of course, needing to use the materials already created - but he is still the creature of a Creator."  (pg.24)  As Christians, we should be more inclined to use our creative capabilities than non-Christians because we represent the Creator.  Being creative is a God-given ability and forgoing this desire or need is going to cause a numbness to the beauty of the created.  As homemakers, we must find a balance in keeping our house beautiful through cleaning as well as by being artistic in the home. 

 Because of our increase in technology and our hectic schedules, our creative abilities have gathered dust and are out of shape.  We spend too much time on the computer (this I am guilty of!), watching tv, playing games (um, this too), keeping our days full by going to and fro, and constantly squelching the desires God has instilled within us.  "Does this mean that we should all drop everything to concentrate on trying to develop into great artists?  No, of course not.  But it does mean that we should consciously do something about it.  There should be a practical result of the realization that we have been created in the image of the Creator of beauty...whether you are a man or a woman: the fact that you are a Christian should show in some practical area of a growing creativity and sensitivity to beauty, rather than in a gradual drying up of creativity, and a blindness to ugliness." (pg. 33)  Although everyone has creative abilities, the type of ability differs.  Just because Sally can paint beautiful portraits doesn't mean that Sue must paint as well.  If Harry can knit a manly scarf, it doesn't require Luke to knit a manly blanket.  Each person has a creative talent and some may not yet know that talent.  The point is to try something that requires the use of your hands, your mind, and your energy.  As you begin to use your creativeness, this will exercise your abilities and provide you with new ideas.  You may even inspire others to be creative as well.  "Man has a capacity both for responding and producing, for communicating as well as being inspired.  It is important to respond to the art of others, as well as to produce art oneself.  It is important to inspire others to be creative as well as to communicate by one's own creative acts." (pg. 25) 

Now that the idea of being creative has been strongly encouraged, Schaeffer goes on to describe various ways that a homemaker (or anyone) may put to use this God-given creativeness.  She discusses interior decorating, gardening, food, clothing, writing, etc. and provides some practical advice in these areas.  I was convicted about my lack of gardening (see previous blog "The Green Thumb Mandate") and about my uninspired desire to make my home more beautiful because of our old, falling-apart house.  "It seems to me that, whether it is recognized or not, there is a terrific frustration which increases in intensity and harmfulness as time goes on, when people are always daydreaming of the kind of place in which they would like to live, yet never making the place where they do live into anything artistically satisfying to them...Trying out all the ideas that come to you, within the limits of your present place, money, talents, materials and so forth, will not use up everything you want to save for the future, but will rather generate and develop more ideas." (pg. 66)  I am thankful for this book as it has given me the push I needed to garden and to be thankful for the home that I have.  It doesn't matter where we are or where we live, we can make any place more beautiful.  This book is relevant to all generations and to men and women alike.  I would consider creativeness a Christian duty and one that could be dangerous if gone unused.  Write, sing, paint, sew, dance, build, craft, garden, design, bake, photograph, act, draw, invent, knit, sculpt, CREATE!

The Green Thumb Mandate

I have put off gardening long enough. Excuses have been somewhat reasonable: pregnancy with twins, newborns, toddlers, and not much money to buy plants and mulch. There is so much work that needs to be done to our aging house and I have also used this as an excuse to neglect our plant beds. When we bought our house, there was a small garden in the backyard with large red tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, and yellow squash. Unfortunately, I was 5 1/2 months pregnant when we moved into this house and I did not have the energy or capacity to lean over and tend to the garden. In the past year, tending to the beds in our front yard has been on my mind yet I have been putting it off and still making excuses. In our previous house, I was often in the yard pulling weeds and planting new flowers yet I have let the importance of gardening diminish in my homemaking. Lately, I have been reading The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer and as I came across the section titled "Gardens and Gardening" I became convicted.

"Neighbours, friends and strangers walking by ought to find the Christians' gardens, farms, estates, schools, hospitals, huts, missions and factories, surrounded by beauty of grass, moss, rocks, ferns, bushes, trees, flowers and vegetables, planted and cared for with an expression of originality and artistic planning on some scale. A Christian individual or organization should not move into a property and turn it into shambles. The opposite should be true. It should grow and blossom into a place of beauty, demonstrating something of the wonder of the One who made plant life to produce seeds in the first place. Christians should have more beautiful gardens, should be more careful to build without cutting down the lovely trees, should be more sensitive about keeping the brook unspoiled as it bubbles through their lands." (pg. 88)

This house was surrounded by well-kept flowers and vegetables and we let it go to "shambles". Our next door neighbor, Jay, mows 5 or more neighbors lawns and has the best looking yard and plant beds on the street. He even mows our lawn once in awhile and here we are letting our yard go to waste. We could be showing him what it means to be faithful stewards of God's creation by keeping our yard well-kept.  What a Christian example we are!

I finally went to the store two days ago and bought plants, flowers, and mulch. Today I took the kids outside with me as I pulled weeds, trimmed our one bush, and prepared the beds for the plants. As we were outside, Jay came out and gave me a drink, gave the kids Capri Sun, gave Noah a candy cane (haha!), and then brought out wipes for the kids' sticky hands. I know he is happy that we are finally gardening. He has given Brenden a rake for the leaves and weeds, transferred his flowers to one of our beds, offered to till our main bed, and has provided tips to maintain a weed-free garden. Tending to our yard has brought us somewhat closer to our neighbor and will hopefully show that as Christians we do care about Christ's creation. Edith Schaeffer believes that wherever you live, whoever you are, there is an opportunity to beautify your home. However small or however large, it is important to have some sort of plant life growing so we and others are reminded of God's beautiful creation. Gardening teaches us, disciplines us, rewards us, and is even able to be used as an evangelistic tool. I cannot wait until I can stand in front of our yard and be proud of my hard work. And I will be even prouder that it is God's beautiful creation.

Book Review: Heirloom Baking

This morning as I sip my hot coffee, I am also enjoying a sweet butterscotch bar with a taste reminiscent of sugared pecans roasted in the oven during the holidays.  This past weekend while at Half Price Book's Labor Day sale, I found a lovely baking cookbook that is quite unique from others I have seen.  Not only does it have the most comical looking sisters on the front cover but it also boasts some of the most delicious recipes from several past generations.  The full title of the book is Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters: More than 100 years of recipes discovered from family cookbooks, original journals, scraps of paper, and grandmother's kitchen.  Whew!  There are recipes from the late 1800's like Grandmother's Biscuits (sugar cookies) and Grete Leonard's Canadian Butter Tarts, a recipe from the 1990's named Chocolate Graham Toffee Fingers, and some very unique recipes like Dorothy Brass's Pineapple Pie and Mama's Apricot Strudel with Cream Cheese Crust (YUM!).  The pictures that accompany some of the recipes are mouth-watering and make me want to bake every single recipe from the book (hello, exercise!).  There is also a section in the back for recipes you may want to write down and a cute little pocket for recipe cards you may have been given from your own grandmother.  

Yesterday,  I chose the Butterscotch Bars with Brown Sugar Meringue Topping from the 1930's for my first recipe to try.  As I was mixing the egg whites with the brown sugar, I began thinking about how amazing it is to be baking from a recipe that was used in the past generations' kitchens.  It is something that links women together and creates a special bond by knowing that those women who have gone before us were also figuring out the whole homemaking thing.  They were the homemakers who knew what it was like to try a new recipe only to burn the delicate crust or scorch the blueberry strudel.  They were the homemakers who understood how special it was to bake something lovely for a tired husband when he came home.  They were the homemakers who found joy in baking with their children, teaching them their cherished recipes that had been passed down from grandmother to mother to child.  And now, we are those homemakers. 

 It is vital that we understand the importance of homemaking.  The family as a whole has gotten so busy and so scattered that we forget what baking does for a family.  It causes a family to slow down and savor the goodness of something you prepared just for their enjoyment.  As Edith Schaffer states, "And it is time well spent in really having a family life, in making home more fun than any other place, which makes other 'attractions' seem boring by contrast." (She is talking about creative recreation but I think it also goes for other types of homemaking.)  There is a sense of excitement as the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven fills the house on a rainy day.  There is a sense of welcome when one comes home from work, opens the door, and is greeted with the smell of fresh baked bread awaiting their arrival.  It makes coming home something one can look forward to.  Baking is important and a tradition that homemakers must not forsake.  Slow down, enjoy the process of leveling, pouring, mixing, tasting the batter with your finger, and give your family and yourself something sweet to savor.

The Cutest Sewing Machine Ever

I just had to share this cutesy little portable sewing machine featured from urbanoutfitters.com.  How could you not enjoy sewing on this little piece!  I'm tempted to buy it and store it away until Katelyn is old enough to sew on her own.  At only $24 who can resist?!

Check out the DIY section on the Urban Outfitters website for all of their cool sewing options.  From sewing machines to buttons to patterns, they offer some amazing accessories.  The Sew U book looks like it has some great pattern ideas and I'm thinking of adding the sewing box to my Christmas list.  There are some interesting finds in the other sections of the website as well (like a mustache keychain made from felt...hm, maybe that could be my next project! haha).  Happy WebWindow Shopping! :~)

Katelyn, the Cupcake

Last week we received the new Pottery Barn Kids catalog in the mail. As the kids and I were looking through it, we spotted the new Halloween costumes and the kids picked out their favorites right away. Katelyn saw the cupcake and was so excited. She was going to be a cupcake for Halloween and nothing else! I tried to talk her into dressing up as a princess or a ballerina (something I could buy cheaper or make easier) but to no avail. Noah picked out the shark as he has become obsessed with Shark Week videos (thanks to the Discovery app. on my iphone!).  No way was I going to spend $60 on a costume so I decided I could make a cupcake for Katelyn and a shark for Noah. I love felt and crafting with felt is my specialty so thankfully the costumes looked to be made from this economical fabric.

Jo-Ann Fabric had a Labor Day sale so I took advantage of the 40% off all felt and 10% off coupon for the thread and fabric. Over all, the costumes will cost less than $10 each! I was so excited to start making the cupcake costume so I started yesterday and finished it this morning after adding the top two layers. Now I just need to find a thick headband to make the strawberry "hat". I have never made anything this big (other than a small toddler quilt) so I had no idea how this would turn out. Thankfully, Katelyn likes it and I am pretty impressed with it myself! Haha!  Now I have to try my hand at sewing a shark costume.  Yikes!

Through this project, I learned that pinning fabric really helps and is worth the extra time (I HATE pinning and have skipped this annoying step before only to rip out half the stitches...). And if something you want to do seems too big or too difficult, try it anyway. You never know...it just might turn out beautifully! Get up, do it, and it will cause you to become more creative and more inspired to try something else you may have been wanting to do.

* The first picture is the Pottery Barn costume.  The second is Katelyn's costume I made.  "I'm a beautiful cupcake!" says Katelyn.

Age Becomes Us

I must say I am enjoying getting older. While the world views age as something to either ignore or try everything possible to reverse, Christians should view growing older as a privilege. It is a privilege to be able to teach your children the love of Christ and a privilege to teach your grandchildren the wisdom you have learned. It is a privilege to continue to learn the vastness of Christ...something I think we can never stop learning. It is a privilege because we grow in our wisdom and we are able to pass it on. Right now I am learning this through attending church, hearing those who are much wiser talk about the kingdom of Christ, reading some amazing books, and even knowing that I am teaching my own children about God. Getting older makes me look forward to the days when I am in my rocking chair, happy with how my children are raising their own. While the world frantically tries to stay young, we should be showing the joy of age. Why are some so obsessed with looking like they haven't aged? Are they trying to hide the fact that they haven't gained any wisdom throughout their years? Are they scared of the realization that they haven't done anything for anyone other than themselves? Our society pushes away the old, ignores them, and thinks that they are wasted away...no wonder Botox is all the rage. A wrinkle on the forehead may send you straight to the nursing home.

One thing I have recently enjoyed is seeing the old in our church. Watching them walk up to the alter to take communion shows how lovely Christ truly is. I love the front row of the "Golden Girls" in our church, always sitting together every Sunday, ready to receive Christ and His blessings once again. Christ and His blessings never age, never gets old. As our years come and go, we can rely on God's never-changing love, grace, and restoration.

If you haven't visited with your grandparents (or an elderly neighbor), go see them. If that isn't possible, send them a card in the real mail letting them know that you are thinking about them. Send them a bouquet of flowers (I plan on doing this for Brenden's grandmother). Bake them some banana bread or muffins. Show them that they are respected. Learn from their wisdom, or mistakes. You will be in their shoes some day and will want the same respect. Show them that they are beautiful and that age becomes them.

Not for the Weary

Today I decided to finally make a decorative pillow for Brenden and I's bed.  I have been looking in stores for the perfect pillow and have never found one that matched what I wanted (though I don't think I even knew what I was looking for).  Months ago, I bought a brown tablecloth in the sale section at Target and when I put it on my table it was hilariously long on all sides.  I didn't return the tablecloth because I was certain that it would make wonderful pillows and now I can say that it's at least made one unique pillow!  First, I cut the tablecloth fabric to the size of pillow I wanted - more of a rectangle shape - and it was a bit too big at first.  After scaling down the fabric, I cut out the flower petals from felt (I always have felt on hand in many different colors and as a result have made many things using felt) and made the buttons and tree trunk with fabric from an old pillow that our dog had tasted.   Next, I stitched 3 sides of the pillow together with the sewing machine, ironed the fabric, then sewed on the tree trunk with the machine and hand-stitched as well.  (In the meantime, I was disciplining the kids because Noah came over and crumbled my flower petals and Katelyn was combining her frozen green beans and Cheerios on her plate causing half of it to fall on the floor...)  After the kids went to bed for a nap,I took a deep breath, a large sip of sweet tea and continued stitching on the flower petals and buttons.  When this was complete, I used cotton stuffing from two old throw pillows and sewed up the top side of the "new" pillow and was finally finished!  I'm very happy with the result and I didn't have to go to the store and spend $30+ on a new pillow.  What do you think?!

Think On These Things

You are what you read; what you read truly does affect your thoughts.  Have you ever read a romance novel only to find yourself wondering throughout the day if Elizabeth will ever snag that handsome rouge, Benjamin?  Or maybe you’ve read a certain vampire series and you soon began thinking there certainly may be vampires lurking about in the cool, dark night?  Recently I’ve been reading non-fiction books with subjects ranging from organization and gardening to theology and the kingdom of Christ.  When I read an organization book, I didn’t take many ideas from it, but it did motivate me to organize my closet, the kids’ room, and our filing cabinet.  After I read a crafting book, I picked up my felt pieces again and started cutting out flowers for a pillow I’ve been wanting to put together.  Because the subjects of books so obviously affects our thoughts, motivations, and actions, it is vital that we choose to read books that will encourage and inspire growth in our lives.   I just finished a book entitled The Kingdom and the Power, a book about the kingdom of Christ, and it has caused me to think of the awesomeness of the Lord's Day as all the saints are worshiping Christ together.  The Lord's Day is a time for those saints on earth and in heaven to come together with all of the angels to worship God and acknowledge our constant need for Him.  This past Sunday I had goose bumps as I thought of this when we were singing the Doxology.  The kingdom of Christ has been in my thoughts throughout the day and it has made me think about my actions even as I do my day-to-day tasks.  This is why it is important that we pick our reading materials wisely - it is what our thoughts will turn to during the day. 
Books are similar to our diet.  We must read books that will edify and encourage growth in many areas of our lives.  I think we can read some "fluff" here and there (by no means am I saying fiction is not encouraging!) but if that is all we read, we will be unhealthy.  Read the Bible.  Read a classic novel.  Read a book about a craft you've been wanting to try and it may just motivate you to actually do it!  Read and read wisely!