DOES ANYBODY HEAR HER?

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing

some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

~ Hebrews 13:2

'Does Anybody Hear Her'
~ Casting Crowns

She is running
A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction
She is trying
But the canyon's ever widening
In the depths of her cold heart
So she sets out on another misadventure just to find
She's another two years older
And she's three more steps behind

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even knows she's going down today
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

She is yearning
For shelter and affection
That she never found at home
She is searching
For a hero to ride in
To ride in and save the day
And in walks her prince charming
And he knows just what to say
Momentary lapse of reason
And she gives herself away

If judgment looms under every steeple
If lofty glances from lofty people
Can't see past her scarlet letter
And we never even met her

He is running
A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction...

Thanks SO much for stopping by! I really do appreciate it.

I'm still having a rough time, so I am still WAY behind on responding to all my comments. I really do cherish each and every one of them and I promise I will be stopping by to see you ASAP. Please don't give up on me! :0)

I love you all and hope you have a wonderfully blessed weekend!

{{HUGS}}

Teresa

P.S. When I first posted this I incorrectly titled the post and the song, 'Does Anybody See Her.' I'm very sorry for any confusion it may have caused.

For more inspiring and uplifting music, please visit Amy at SIGNS, MIRACLES AND WONDERS!

A VERY SPECIAL BLOG HOP FRIDAY!!

As most of you know, today is Blog Hop Friday all around Blogland. These blog hops are where you can find great new blogs to read, along with new readers and followers for your blog! For me, participating has been an AWESOME way to spread awareness about my illness, DYSAUTONOMIA!

This week, I am so very excited to be a featured blogger at FRIENDLY FRIDAY! Friendly Friday is one of my very favorite blog hops because there are not a lot of rules AND because of the features they do on the loyal participants.

Friendly Friday is hosted by three amazing ladies, Xenia at Thanks, Mail Carrier, Christi at The Frugal Novice and Charla at Healthy Home Blog. Please take a few minutes to check out their blogs and say hello. If you would like to join us for Friendly Friday, just click on the icon above or below this post.

♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥

If you're stopping by from any of the blog hops, I'm really glad you're here! I hope you'll grab a cup of coffee and stay awhile so you can take a few minutes to check out my blog!

There is a menu of links across the top of this page for easy navigation. There is the 'About Me' link where, of course, you can go to get to know me a little better. There is also the 'Must Reads' link where you can read some of my favorite and/or most informative posts.

If you like what you see, I'd be extremely honored if you'd 'Follow Me', 'Subscribe', become a 'Fan' of my Facebook Page and/or hit me up on Twitter. I promise to return the favor whatever you do! Please just let me know in the comment section, especially if it is Twitter related. I tend to lose track of things that go on over there if I am having a bad day. :0)

Have a great Friday and happy hopping!!

Blessings,

Teresa

Golden Words of Wisdom

Throughout my illness, I have been extremely blessed with an amazing team of physicians, the absolute best in the whole entire world, in my opinion! My primary care physician, my local cardiologist and my cardiologist/electrophysicist at Vanderbilt have been truly amazing to me since I became ill. I don't know what I would do or where I would be without them.

Unfortunately, many people out there who suffer from this same illness and/or many other debilitating chronic illnesses are not as fortunate as I have been. Many go month after month, year after year, looking for a physician who can help them. Many have been told that there is nothing wrong with them and that their symptoms are 'all in their heads'. When you've been sick and in pain for any length of time, it becomes very hard to deal with, physically and emotionally. When you've been sick for months or years and then have someone tell you it is all in your head, it can leave you feeling devastated. I am SO thankful that my cardiologist know almost immediately what was wrong with me and was able to find treatment for me quickly. However, many people out there, some who I've become very close to through blogging, have not been so lucky. It makes me extremely sad for them. NO ONE should be told that their pain and sickness is something that they've made up! That is just WRONG on so many levels.

Today as I was surfing around the internet, I found this video of The Golden Girls. It is priceless. I wish every doctor had to see this before graduating from med school!

I'd like to say a HUGE thank you to Lisa at Mom's Misc. Adventures for featuring my blog today as her 'Blog of the Week'! I am really excited that she chose me and I would appreciate it if you all would hop over there, read the feature and give her a little bloggy love! Thanks so much and have a wonderfully blessed day!

{{HUGS}}

Teresa

WHO AM I??

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.

~ Ephesians 2:8-9

Hi Everyone,

I'm sorry I haven't been around as much lately but I'm most definitely still alive! Not only has our internet being acting up, but the last few weeks, especially this last one, have been particularly hard for me. I have been dealing with extreme pain, nausea and dizziness. It has been so bad, that most of the time it has been next to impossible just to sit up.

Most days, I'm able to get out of the bed, get dressed and make it downstairs to our family room. There, I usually remain in my recliner for the rest of the day. It definitely takes a good bit of work and assistance to get there, but I manage. This week I have not been able to do that at all. I have had to stay in bed the entire week. Needless to say, it has been very discouraging for me AND for my family. It is especially difficult because all our bedrooms are upstairs and, of course, most of the action goes on downstairs. Plus, in order to help me, they must go up and down the steps multiple times each day. I really feel guilty about that, even though I know I can not help it. It makes me feel like such a burden...and all I can do for them is say thank you. Over and Over and Over. *sigh*

Speaking of thank yous - I would like to say thank you SO VERY MUCH for all the wonderful comments and emails I've received this week. (I'm still trying to catch up on all of them and it's gonna take a while!) I also wanted to say hello to all my new Readers/Followers. It is a real pleasure to meet you and I'm thrilled you chose to stop by and hang out with us! I hope you will come back again soon. When this 'flare' eases a bit, I will be making my rounds to all your great blogs. I promise!!

And to my faithful readers who continue to comment, leave sweet words of encouragement and/or pray for me each day, I want you to know that you are such a huge blessing in my life and I cherish you all so very much! Thanks for continuing to visit!

Have a wonderfully blessed weekend!

Blessings,

Teresa

For more inspiring and uplifting music, please visit Amy at SIGNS, MIRACLES AND WONDERS!

YOU KNOW YOU HAVEA CHRONIC ILLNESS WHEN....

Let’s face it, most days having a chronic illness is just no fun. However, it can have its humorous moments if we look for them. I found the following 'funnies' and thought I'd share them with you!

You know you have a chronic illness when:

• You bawled when the television show 'ER' went off the air because it was the only TV show where you actually felt like you understood all the technology talk.
• When you hear the term 'Club Med' you automatically think of the hospital.
• When you are in the hospital you keep imagining people being intimate behind closed doors because you’ve watched too many episodes of 'Grey’s Anatomy'.
• You ask your child to open the child-proof bottles of medicine because your hands are too sore.
• Your medical records have to be transported on a cart.
• To entertain people at parties you recite the side effects of medications as if you are the voice-over on a commercial.
• Your favorite Oprah program is when Dr. Oz is on.
• The pharmacist brings your medications to the counter without you having to give him your name.
• To get rid of boredom on road trips, your whole family can go through the alphabet and name a drug that starts with each letter of the alphabet.
• When you’re unable to sleep because of pain, you watch 'The Jerry Springer Show' or a 'The Real Housewives' and feel like you actually have a life.
• Your spelling has improved dramatically, especially on words like 'fibromyalgia' and 'osteoporosis'.
• When anyone around you has an accident you have a complete First Aid kit of bandages, ointments, sanitizers, etc.
• Or you’ve been 'Around the World in Thirty Minutes' with CNN’s Headline News 57 times in one sitting.
• You earn $20 cash back a month from your pharmacy’s bonus points.
• You have a panic attack in public and say, “Praise God this is only the fourth one today!”
• You’re invited to the wedding of the gal who works at the hospital lab.
• Someone says, “You are looking so good!” and it actually makes you feel a bit frustrated, rather than flattered.
• Your child thinks watching you give yourself injections of medication is 'cool'.
• You have a flashback and don’t know what happened and can honestly say, “I don’t know where I was or what I was doing but I’ll make something up if you’d like."
• You carry hand-sanitizer with you everywhere and aren’t afraid to use it.
• You shake hands with your left hand so it throws people off enough that they don’t squeeze your hand.
• You know every scripture about healing and can finish people’s sentences when they try to quote them to you.
• The teen children of your friends call to see if they could interview you for a paper in their health class.
• It’s more fun to find 'cute pajamas' than actual clothes.
• You actually enjoy talking to telemarketers because they can’t really hang up on you and you can use them for a therapy session.
• You leave up 'Get Well' cards on your mantel for months because… you’re still hoping the well wishes come true.

Feel free to add yours below in the comments. I'm sure we'd all love to hear them and giggle along with you! I know I can always use a laugh. :0)

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

{{HUGS}}

Teresa

The above was printed with permission from author,Lisa Copen, Copyright 2009,
National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAYS

WHERE THERE IS FAITH

By~ 4 Him

I believe in faithfulness
I believe in giving of myself for someone else
I believe in peace and love
I believe in honesty and trust but it’s not enough
For all that I believe may never change the way it is
Unless I believe Jesus lives

Where there is faith
There is a voice calling, keep walking
You’re not alone in this world
Where there is faith
There is a peace like a child sleeping
Hope everlasting in He who is able to
Bear every burden, to heal every hurt in my heart
It is a wonderful, powerful place
Where there is faith

There’s a man across the sea
Never heard the sound of freedom ring
Only in his dreams
There’s a lady dressed in black
In a motorcade of cadillacs
Daddy’s not coming back
Our hearts begin to fall
And our stability grows weak
But Jesus meets our needs if only we believe
Where there is faith
There is a voice calling, keep walking
You’re not alone in this world

Where there is faith
There is a voice calling, keep walking
You’re not alone in this world
Where there is faith
There is a peace like a child sleeping
Hope everlasting in He who is able to
Bear every burden, to heal every hurt in my heart
It is a wonderful, powerful place
Where there is faith

For more inspiring and uplifting music, please visit Amy at SIGNS, MIRACLES AND WONDERS!

WORD-FILLED WEDNESDAY

click on photo to enlarge

'I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.' ~ Genesis 9:13-16

My daughter took this picture near our home right after a thunderstorm yesterday evening. I love to see a glorious rainbow right after a scary storm because they always make me think about all of God amazing promises. Plus, they are just so beautiful!!

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you all are having a wonderful week. See you again soon.

Blessings,

Teresa



The purpose of Word-Filled Wednesday is to share God’s word through photo or graphic image combined with a verse from the Bible. Word-Filled Wednesday is not about books, authors or artists, it’s about God and HIS WORD ONLY. If you’d like to join me and other ladies as we share our Word-Filled Wednesday, just click on the icon below.

WHAT GOD HATH PROMISED

God hath not promised skies always blue,

Flower strewn pathways all our lives through;

God hath not promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God hath not promised we shall not know

Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;

He hath not told us we shall not bear

Many a burden, many a care.

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,

Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;

Never a mountain rocky and steep,

Never a river turbid and deep.

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

- Annie Johnson Flint -
1919

HAPPY 1st BLOGOVERSARY

Today is a very special day! It is my one year 'Blogoversary'! Is that really even a word?!? It is so hard to believe that it has really been one full year since I started this blog. I know I've been saying this a lot lately, but time really is flying by. The past few years have been quite difficult for my family and me - that is for sure. However, this past year was made a tad bit easier once I finally decided to attempt this crazy thing called blogging! I have truly loved having a place where I can come and write whatever I want, whenever I want. And I have shared it all; the good times and the bad, the successes and the failures, the celebrations and the disappointments, etc. I have shared about my health, my heart, my faith, my family and everything in-between. In return, I've learned SO much from SO many and I've met some of the most amazing people from all over this world; some who have even become some of the best friends I've ever had! It has been one heck of a year and I'm truly proud to call this little corner of the blogosphere my home!

Thank you, my friends, for spending your time with me. Thanks for reading what I write AND never failing to leave such sweet, encouraging words for me when you stop by. (And for those of you who read but don't comment, I truly appreciate you just as much!) I couldn’t ask for better people in my life and I honestly thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your love, encouragement and support. It means the world to me.

May the coming year be just as amazing as the first!

Blessings,

Teresa

HAPPY BIRTHDAYCONNOR!!

Today my oldest grandson, Connor, turns 7 years old!! I am totally amazed and somewhat frightened at just how quickly time seems to be passing these days. It truly feels like only yesterday that I was giving birth to Connor's mom and now she has a child turning seven! It is so crazy! I was definitely a very young first time mom, and so was she, but it still doesn't seem possible at all that I am already old enough to have grown children, much less a grandchild who is quickly approaching double digits! **sigh**

Oh well, they say having children young keeps you young. I used to think I agreed, but lately I'm not so sure. I have been feeling mighty old!

Connor celebrated his birthday this past weekend at Cochran Mill Nature Center. He and all the other kids invited had a fun time playing with all the different animals and wild creatures they have there.

Here are a few pictures from his party that my daughter shared...

Connor with all his guests

Seeing a baby gator

and holding a yucky snake! Ewww....

Connor with his Mommy opening presents

Forget the presents! He is loving the money!

Connor and his 1st cousin, Harper
Harper was born on the very same day, just 30 minutes later!
Don't they look like twins??

Connor, I hope you have a wonderful birthday today! I can't wait to see you soon!

Love,

Mimi

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are
LIFE, LIBERTY and the pursuit of HAPPINESS.
~ The Declaration of Independence - July 4th, 1776

Freedom is never free.
~ Author Unknown

Those who won our independence believed liberty to be the
secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty.
~Louis D. Brandeis

Patriotism... is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion,
but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.
~ Adlai Stevenson

If you are ashamed to stand by your colors,
you had better seek another flag.
~ Author Unknown

My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious
blessings they are in possession of, and which no
other people on earth enjoy!
~Thomas Jefferson

We have enjoyed so much freedom for so long
that we are perhaps in danger of forgetting how
much blood it cost to establish the Bill of Rights.
~Felix Frankfurter

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought
forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty,
and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
~ Abraham Lincoln - The Gettysburg Address 1863

FREEDOM'S NEVER FREE
~ by Phillips, Craig and Dean

Standing on a hillside
Where the river meets the sea
White crosses without number
Line the fields of peace

And each one a silent witness
Staring back at me
Every cross a story
Of another place in time
Where young men thought it worthy
To give their life for mine
And for the sake of honor
Left their dreams behind

And for the price they paid
I'm forever in their debt
Their memory will not die
'Cause I will not forget

I will stand and hold my head up high
I will dedicate my life
To the glory of the ones who had to die
I will live, live what I believe
If for no one else but me
I will remember
That freedom's never free

It was on another hillside
Outside the city gates
The battle lines were drawn
As soldiers took their place

The Father watched in silence
As a cross was raised
With freedom drawing closer
He took His final breath
He drank our cup of guilt
And took the sting from death

Heaven's Finest Soldier
clothed in human flesh
And for the price He paid
I'm forever in His debt
The cross will never die
'Cause I will not forget

I will stand and hold my head up high
I will dedicate my life
To the glory of the One who had to die
I will live, live what I believe
If for no one else but me
To remember that
Freedom's Never Free

I will walk free
I will stay free
I will live free
I will die free!

Amen! That is such a POWERFUL song! I just found it today but it gives me chills every time I listen to it.

I hope you all are having fun celebrating the 234th birthday of our great Nation! I hope you have a wonderful day. Be safe and have lots of fun!

Blessings,

Teresa