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Hello, Friend.

Do you know what today is? It's "Eat What You Want Day!" So that makes it a great time to share some food-related thoughts with you.

True story: Last year, I lost 40 lbs. while simultaneously eating what I wanted. The trick for me was two-fold. First, I limited the amount I ate (portion control). After all, the goal is to eat what you want, not as much as you can.

And second, I changed what I wanted by changing my purpose in eating. Instead of just trying to tantalize my tastebuds, I made it my goal to nourish my body and cultivate good health.

That way, the things I wanted to eat -- and the things that tasted most delicious to me -- were the exact same foods that made me feel physically fit and full of energy.

Try it yourself. If you're addicted to sweets or sodas or something equally unhealthful, give yourself a good month to stop craving it. I largely gave up refined sugar, which became less and less of a temptation the longer I went without it.

But enough about all that for now. Here's the weekly link list I promised you:

Free resources for you this week:

• ​Flanders Family Favorites - a few of the foods we eat most frequently
• ​Meal Planning Template - use this pretty chart to map out a full week's worth of meals
• ​Daily Dozen Chart - the12 foods you should eat every day (plus a few old family photos)
• ​50 Healthful Snacks - a colorful printable full of quick, delicious, and nutritious snack ideas
• ​Eat More Veggies - 5 smart ways to convince your kids to eat their vegetables
• ​Known by Their Fruit Coloring Page - this citrus-y hand-drawn page features Matthew 7:16​

What I'm reading this week:

I'd fallen a little behind on my one-year Bible reading plan during our recent travels, so I've spent this week catching up on that. If you only have time to read one book, the Bible is the one to pick, hands down!

What we're watching this week:

We gathered around as a family Saturday evening to watch Dinesh D'Souza's latest documentary, 2000 Mules. It's mind-blowing. I'd encourage you to take a look yourself at the evidence mainstream media doesn't want you to see.

What we're eating this week:

Our daughter introduced us to this Spicy Moroccan Stew. It's rich in flavor and full of good-for-you cauliflower and turmeric. Yum!

Progress on last week's goals:

I've made a little progress on last week's goals, but most of them are still ongoing. Here's an update on what I've done so far.

✅ explore housing options: - found a rental that suits our needs and put a deposit down on it

✅ sort stuff to keep vs. sell or give away: our garage is filling up with stuff to sell, and I've barely gotten started

✅ sign my boys up for dual-credit classes: they're registered for Maymester, but not yet for fall

✅ make sure kids practice piano for upcoming recital: two are practicing, the other has decided to take a break from music lessons for the foreseeable future 🙁

✅ don’t let stress of moving turn me into a grouch: I haven't been grouchy but, man, are the tears ever flowing freely!

✅ practice living in peace with uncertainty: it isn't easy, but I really don't have a choice

✅ greet each new day with a song: Yes! By God's grace, I maintained a spotless track record on this goal last week. In fact, I even recorded the song I've been singing. You can listen to it here.

Goals for this week:

More of the same (see above ^^^)

A new poll for you:

If you were to eat exactly what you want today, what would your meal consist of?

For me: raspberries, avocados, fresh pico de gallo, sea salt & vinegar almonds, and a bit of dark chocolate -- all on a divided plate, so none of the different foods touch each other. Ha!

That's it for this week. Lord willing, I'll be back next Wednesday, May 18. Until then, take care!