My word for the year
At the beginning of each year, I choose a word. This word becomes a focused theme for myself personally. This year’s word, simplify. It’s never random, because God is never random. My new year’s theme always lines up with areas where God is working, shifting, or transforming my heart, mind and soul. Becoming a tool that God uses to bring about some beneficial changes and reorientation to my life. God is intimate in this way!
As a result, there are many areas in my sphere that are impacted by this shift… family, health, relationships, lifestyle. Listen, I’m not always super responsive… some themes take years for me to truly incorporate. But at least being mindful of it pushes me in a general direction. Pointing me towards God’s best. Big changes begin with small steps right?
Consequently, this edition of Friday Finds is about simple shifts for the sake of considerable change. I’ve got your health, your home, and your soul in mind as I share a few favorite finds. You know what is so cool though, these are not at all painful shifts! In fact I’m sharing truly enjoyable ways to bring good growth to our spheres.
Less Evil All Good
There are popcorn junkies and then there are those that are wrong. If you don’t like popcorn, I still love you and you are free to just skip past my popcorn passion and on to the next thing. My oldest son first introduced me to Lesser Evil’s popcorn after spending time with his best friend’s family this summer. He and I have a mutual love for obscure facts, popcorn, and don’t even get me started on how we feel about kettle corn.
Speaking of, I’ll offer one little story for those in need of a budget friendly, at home option for a good movie night.
Starter adulting
While my husband and I were newlyweds, and wanted to enjoy a movie night but couldn’t spend the extra money, we found this alternative. First, we had to get in our car and drive to a store. We walked the isles of shelves that were stacked with movies all on VHS tapes, making sure to pass by the “new release” wall. Eventually choosing a movie to take home. The store was called Blockbuster and you can go ask google if this whole idea sounds odd. Back home, we popped that tape into a machine that played the movie right into our television. Weird, I know. Now here is where the popcorn shows up. Before we pushed play on our little movie tape playing contraption, I would mix up a batch of brown paper bag caramel corn in the microwave. We’d even push our couches together where they were facing, making a little movie lounge situation and call it a win!
Click here for this age-old-easy-peasy method for making caramel corn at home… especially if you are down for something warm, salty-sweet good, and budget friendly this Fall.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled way of movie nights…
If you need your popcorn healthy, delicious, AND faster than the microwave, then you must know about Lesser Evil. I know this is just popcorn folks but it’s insanely excellent and worthy of your time. Aside from being rudely addicting, their ingredients are healthy, organic, and sustainable. You can choose from multiple flavors and though it’s difficult to choose, my favorite is the Himalayan pink salt.
Lesser Evil hosts a slew of other healthy organic snacks you should check out. You can order online or shop for them at your local WholeFoods or Sprouts. In a pinch, grab a brown paper bag and mix up your own microwave version!
A New Laundry Regime Worth Some Hype
Ok, I know we are all supposed to be saving the environment and saving money and saving time but mercy! Often we find ourselves buried with just makin’ it through. Well, how about a little help for your laundry days without adding to your mayhem!
Dropps is an effective, economical, eco-friendly way to do your mommin in the laundry room. I have been using these little pods for over six months now and I’m a complete fan. I have two girls with eczema and I’ve seen a drastic decrease in their skin irritation since switching to Dropps. Notably, they can handle my big fat household of 8 and all the loads of heavy duty laundry that come along. Powerful, clean, safe, and economical all in one little pod!
Also worth mentioning, these puppies show up at my door automatically. Having one less thing on my list to manage like laundry detergent is a massive win! With the subscription option, you can select which products and how often you need restocking… then free yourself up to actually get the laundry folded and put away. Dropps offers multiple products: stain and oder pods, scent booster pods, oxy booster pods, sensitive skin and baby laundry pods… and even dishwasher pods (which I am also completely pleased with).
A few of my favorite things about Dropps…
- Their entire packaging is waste free and kind to the environment
- Helps reduce skin irritation for my girls with eczema
- Laundry comes out fresh, clean, and soft
- Laundry day is simplified
- Delivered to my door automatically
A Journal to Cultivate Growth
Alrighty, if you’ve been here at the thegoodsoil for a hot minute then you know how I feel about journaling. Strongly, I feel strongly about it. Because journaling has been an absolutely critical part of my journey with God and the growing of my faith. It has helped me cultivate a relationship with Jesus, see how God answers prayer, and create a memorial of God’s activity in my life. If you are a reluctant journaler or know of one, then this find is for you.
These write the word journals are all about simple, intentional, interacting with God and His word. Each journal has a theme and therefore carefully selected scriptures for you to write out each day. Some example themes: Cultivate Faith, Hope, Joy, Renewal, and Contentment. You open your journal, copy the provided scripture reference, and then reflect on it by writing what’s on your heart. If you’re a mom, you can add things your kids do and say, prayers, and significant moments. For you creatives, you can even add stickers, illustrations, photos, or artistic details. You do you man.
I have given the cultivate journals to all of my girls, their friends, and even as gifts. Reading the Bible, let alone journaling, can be intimidating for many. Having a cultivate journal is a great place for us to build the habit of reading and meditating on God’s word in a very tangible way. Which as you know… I also feel strongly about. Read this post I wrote for some encouragement for our parched souls.
XOXO,
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