homemade granola, fresh berries, aunts, and sadie weaver

on monday i heard some funny, funny stuff.
here's why.
i was with my aunts.
i have funny aunts.
one of them is extra funny all by herself.
the others are mostly funny when you put them together.
on monday they were all quilting at my mom's house.
she is making a quilt for a grandbaby,
and she called upon her three sisters to come and stitch.

if you've seen sarah plain and tall,
you know who "the treasures" are.
we call our aunts the treasures too.

they love to tell stories.  stories about when they were young,
but not only old stories.  ANY stories that are funny.
they specialize in funny stories.

so on monday, my aunt darlene told us this story about sadie weaver.
i thought it was so, so funny.
i mean for me, just that it is about sadie weaver makes it funny.
the story goes like this:

at my aunts church, during sharing time, the person who has something
to share stands up, takes the microphone, and introduces themselves as such:
hello, this is "so and so" ...and then says their thing.

well, one morning, this old lady named sadie weaver stood up, and blurted into the microphone,
"hello, this is sadie weaver calling."
and she never even batted an eye, but just kept right on sharing,
having no idea she just addressed the entire church like she had just called  her next door neighbor from her kitchen with some pressing news.
it would seem that the microphone gave sadie weaver a case of the nerves.
that's the way it is for some people. you put a microphone in front of them, and suddenly everything that sounded brilliant and smooth in their head,
comes out not nearly so smooth or brilliant.  (heehee.)

and aunt darlene said she has no idea what sadie weaver had to share because she couldn't stop laughing.
and it was in that moment, as i hooted along with aunt darlene,
that i knew, as sure as i was sitting there,
how i had turned out to be who i had turned out to be!! 
and i do not mind a bit to say that i am my aunt darlene.
she has learned to look for any opportunity to laugh.  and we love to be around her because of that. 
so, cheers to aunt darlene!
cheers to laughter!
and three cheers for sadie weaver!!

this week i made my homemade granola.
i make it for a while, and at first it tastes sooo good.
but after a month of granola, i don't know,
it sorta starts tasting like horse oats.
(not that i eat horse oats...i'm just guessing they are hard to chew and are kinda bland when eaten every day.
all i'm saying is, now and again, you can't beat a nice big bowl of lucky charms.)

but after not having homemade granola for months and months,
it tastes so good and healthy.  especially with berries.
i bought strawberries and blueberries to eat in it.
delish.

the next big thing is...
wait for it...
i'm thinking of working out again.
on my mini trampoline.
which, for some reason, my friend angel thinks is so so funny.
i never quite get that.
she's this big fitness expert, and a runner, and everything.
but mention my mini trampoline and she is in stitches. 
who knows.
maybe it's just the thought of me...who is so not a fitness expert,
trying to work out, that sends her into hysterics.
i actually looked for my dvd today.
you know?  the one with the annoying lady who works out in complete ease, and condescendingly talks to the person watching....ME...and says things like,
"you can do it!"  "you're doing great!"  "only 5 more!!"
she obviously knows nothing.
no one, watching me work out, would tell me i am doing great.
i look like i'm having convulsions.  
the only way 5 more sounds good to me at that point, is if i could kick her in her toned little behind 5 times.  (aaahhaaa.)  :)
however, i am feeling motivated to get some exercise in, so while the urge is here, at least in part, i think i should go for it.
i am trying to drag my cousin into this with me.
partly because misery loves company.
and partly because i think it would be great to laugh at someone else while i am jumping around like a moron.
any other takers?
give me a buzz.  i'll laugh at you too!!  (smile)

i'm going to start working at the timeless cafe in about two weeks.
i had an interview yesterday that went splendidly.
honestly, i am happy.
not super excited...
but content.  peaceful.
the last job opportunity that i had was a wonderful growing time for me.
i learned sooo much.  about life.  about myself.  about people.  about faith.  about humility.  about God.  and of course, about lattes. 
but that chapter ended in pain.
would i do it again?  of course. 
and do i feel it was of God.  most definitely.
but somehow, because i knew God had opened the door...
i went sailing in, blissfully unaware of the reality of pain.
my experience taught me that just because it is of God, does not mean
it will be pain free.  and i knew that...but now i know that. (does that make sense?)
and so, in some ways,
i feel like "here i go again."  following God.  and that is good.  but do i have the courage to really put my heart out there again?
and i will.
because it's who i am.
but this time there is a groundedness.  a sense of reality.
there will be opportunities.  there will be blessings.  there will be fun.
but i will not expect that just because God opened these doors to me,
no pain will lie behind them.  so i will look at this experience differently.
i will expect great things.  but i will not have preconceived ideas of what that greatness will look like.
because in our human perspective,
we miss so much.
what looks like failure to us, can look like complete victory to Him.
so i will walk on in.  trust.  hope. and be me.  in Him.
and the confidence that i have to do that is a priceless gift.

so, friend,
here's to walking through open doors!
here's to putting your heart out there!
here's to granola with berries!
here's to wonderful aunts who love you!

and if your phone rings,
and it's sadie weaver calling,
tell her i said "hi." (smile.)

happy weekend!
happy weekend, indeed!
~ann