Trina Daniels

Coconut Oil?

2012-02-23T20:40:00.001-08:00

We've been using Coconut Oil for hair and skin. We've never taken it orally or cooked with it ... but after seeing this ... I'm really tempted to add it to our diets. Also, I've been researching Coconut Milk and other foods that are good for our brain. We're considering switching to Coconut Milk after I finish reading several books about it. I'm excited about the benefits of Coconut and am hoping to reap some benefits from it!

Life is great

2012-02-23T09:22:00.000-08:00

It has been a couple weeks filled with information overload. Today is my first day to actually comprehend it and then begin to research what needs researched and then we'll make the decisions that need to be made. I have a stack of paperwork waiting to be completed. I'm discovering it is challenging to balance my spinning plates right now but God will make a way! I am discovering being an advocate for anyone or anything is so time consuming and rewarding. However, despite anything and everything, life is great. I have a wonderful hubby and two incredible sons!

a random act of kindness

2012-02-18T20:57:00.000-08:00

Today, someone surprised us with a random act of kindness. Totally unexpected. Not needed, Not necessary, Not practical ... but ENJOYED! I am typically practical. I occasionally splurge. Today's random act of kindness made us smile, giggle and helps us remember there's GOOD in this world! Today, someone, who I don't even know his name ... did something especially thoughtful for Marty & I. I'm grateful that this guy started our day off well! I'm grateful God allows us to see the GOOD in others sometimes!

Attitude of EXTRA Grace

2012-02-16T13:42:00.000-08:00

When I go to a hospital, I go in with an attitude of extra grace because most people there are stressed and concerned over a health issue. I don't expect everyone, including myself to be at my top level of thinking and exercising the best judgement. Today, while sitting in a waiting room waiting with my family ... our mouths dropped open as we heard a dad say to his son, don't do that, that's for lazy people as his son pushed the handicap button on a doorway. Seriously? A person with developmental disabilities or a handicap of some type is far from lazy. They struggle and work harder everyday on tasks that people without a disability don't even think about doing. I couldn't believe that mentality. I did nothing about it. I didn't know what to say or how to address the man. I couldn't believe his ignorance and was saddened that he is teaching his son such a lie. Okay, kids shouldn't play with the handicap buttons ... but to tell them it is for lazy people worse than letting them play with the handicap button!

Healing ... God is still God NO Matter What Happens

2012-02-13T16:44:00.000-08:00

I am deciding to have Child Like Faith! I've seen scriptures abused. I've had a bad taste of the name it claim it faith movement. I've seen scriptures abused. I've had a bad taste of the legalistic and self-righteous movement. God is STILL God. I would like to pray for healing for someone I love. This person NEEDS a miracle from God ... and medically, that's the only thing that is going to make a significant difference in life. I know God CAN heal. I know I can pray and ask for healing. I do NOT know why sometimes, there's a healing and sometimes there's not a healing. I don't know why some prayers are answered and others are not. That's where having a Child Like Faith comes in for me. I have to simply have FAITH. I don't have all the answers with praying for healing. There's miracles and healings that STILL happen each and everyday. With or without a healing for this person I love, God is still God.

He's MY son ...

2012-02-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

I had never heard this song until today. Now, it's my prayer and my song ...

Mark Schultz - He's My Son Here's the lyrics: I'm down on my knees again tonight I'm hoping this prayer will turn out right See there is a boy that needs Your help I've done all that I can do myself His mother is tired I'm sure You can understand Each night as he sleeps She goes in to hold his hand And she tries not to cry As the tears fill her eyes CHORUS: Can You hear me? Am I getting through tonight? Can You see him? Can You make him feel all right? If You can hear me Let me take his place somehow See, he's not just anyone He's my son Sometimes late at night I watch him sleep I dream of the boy he'd like to be I try to be strong and see him through But God who he needs right now is You Let him grow old Live life without this fear What would I be Living without him here He's so tired and he's scared Let him know that You're there CHORUS Can You hear me? Can You see him? Please don't leave him He's my son

Valentine's Day Chocolate Breakfast

2012-02-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

My friend Kandee reminded me and inspired me to COOK! She is an incredible cook, knows exactly what to combine with what and my mouth waters and my belly feels hungry just thinking of some of the incredible foods she has made!

As a child, I remember helping my grandma cook and she always made it fun. She always said it doesn't matter what we serve as long as we're all together and we have fun. I remember one particular holiday when she was prepared for a small group of people and it quickly became a large group. We rated the refrigerator and creatively came up with plenty of food for everyone to eat!

I love to cook although I don't get to go all out often. At least we use very little from a box and very little convenience foods. God knew what he was doing when I met Kandee because now, I just view having a child with food allergies as a challenge. I would have been lost if I were still cooking out of boxes!

Anyway, I just decided on what I was making for breakfast on Valentine's Day. I have found something that we can ALL eat and I believe we will all enjoy it!

I'll be making Chocolate Coconut Breakfast Bread. I'll let you know how it goes!

Act of Kindness

2012-01-31T14:08:00.000-08:00

Life has been so busy that it has been a while since we've even stepped back long enough to even receive an incredible act of kindness.

A couple that we hadn't seen for a long time invited us to dinner at their home. "US" included our babies! They wanted to meet the babies so leaving them with a sitter was out of the question even though that would have been the easiest route.

This couple did special grocery shopping to accommodate food allergies. They prepared a from scratch authentic Italian meal. They welcomed all four of us into their home and it was so nice to be pampered and fussed over ... although I always tell people not to bother, I'll pack a lunch/dinner for the baby that has food allergies. She insisted on keeping him included in the meal.

They made such a big deal over having us over for dinner. I felt like I was at a special holiday celebration. This was embracing life and living life because we shouldn't WAIT until a holiday to appreciate each other and show kindness.

Thanks to my friends for making us feel special and showing us so much kindness.

Lower my expectations or raise my standards?

2012-01-30T07:32:00.000-08:00

Have you ever expected someone to do something and it didn't happen?

This was a common sense thing that should have happened. To protect THEIR privacy, I won't name names or spell out the specific situation because then it would be OBVIOUS although there's part of me that would LOVE to because what they did was rude, inconsiderate and hurtful.

It happens in every other situation. It happened for other people in the same situation around me and from the people around me. It didn't happen for me. I knew for a LONG time before this situation that I was a misfit around this group of people. This situation finalized it for me.

This was really only a MINOR situation although still hurtful, it was really nothing! I've been through much tougher situations and lost a lot more than being around this dysfunctional little group of people.

It's hard to let go when I've been intentionally hurt. But, life is great and they were only a nuisance when I was around them and they are nothing more than a bad memory now.

Sometimes, as difficult as it is, we have to decide on doing what is best for us even when that means we have to make some really tough decisions, even when it means we are no longer around people that are damaging to us.

So, as far as them not doing something that is done for everyone else in my situation ... it's their loss. I had to decide if I was going to lower my expectations or raise my standards.

I decided to raise my standards!

Grateful

2012-01-29T18:08:00.000-08:00

I am grateful for SO much! Today is my hubby's birthday and we had a great day celebrating together. I made him one of his favorite meals ... "Chicken and Dumplings" ... and my folks surprised him with two of his favorite desserts ... "German Chocolate Cake" and "Key Lime Pie". We also went out for Starbucks!

We are so grateful to be blessed with two one year olds. Being parents is a dream come true that we weren't sure was ever going to happen.

God is still God was our motto through some incredibly dark days ... and we are so grateful that God saw us through and has chosen us to be parents to these two amazing little ones!

I am additionally grateful to be able to write freely again. I don't have anyone to tell me what I can write and there's nobody that is in any position to judge me for what I do write. Finally ... freedom again! I missed it and am so grateful to have it back! Yes, even in America, there's sometimes not freedom to write because of the position we are in, the position others are in and because so often, our culture wants us to all think from the same little box.

God is SO good!

I can write again ...

2012-01-10T13:13:00.000-08:00

After being stifled for a long time on being able to share my thoughts and opinions freely, I feel such a freedom to be able to do so again.

So, I'm back to blogging and sharing!