December 5, 2023 • 49 mins
Join us in this heartfelt and inspiring podcast as we celebrate the remarkable power of lasting friendships. In this intimate conversation, I sit down with my beautiful friend, Heather, to explore the profound impact that genuine connections can have on our lives. Through personal stories and touching experiences, we talk about what makes a friendship endure through the test of time, and the countless ways in which friendship has shaped who we are today. So, pour yourself a glass of wine, cozy up, and allow this podcast episode to remind you of the timeless value of true friendship, as you join us around the table of god.food.wine.® Cheers friends!
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Welcome to talk at the table with God,
food,
wine.
It's like walking into your friend's place,
cozy,
uplifting and inviting as you enter your friend,
greets you with a smile making you feel instantly at home.
You have arrived.
It's beautiful having you here.
My name is Amy.
I am your host and so grateful to be here with you today around the table of God food wine.
(00:25):
So pour yourself a glass of wine.
We have non alcoholic wine too.
Get cozy and treat yourself to some well deserved you.
Time as we relax and share inspired conversation,
food and wine.
Welcome to the Table of God food wine today.
Our God food wine table is like a banquet table spanning across the entire country from the west coast to the east coast.
(00:52):
My beautiful hearted friend,
Heather joins us today,
bringing a present to the table that adds flavor and richness to conversations.
Whenever I'm around her,
some of my most meaningful friendships have been with Heather,
especially meeting up after a long day of work from Chateau,
Montelena and Francis Ford Coppola where we would come home and share wines that we would take home from the day having delicious bits and engaging in conversation,
(01:21):
talking about anything and everything.
My friend Heather is an accomplished actress,
passionate foodie,
intuitive herbalist and an honored vor of the United States Navy.
Please join me in welcoming my cherished friend Heather.
Oh,
(01:42):
thank you.
Thank you for such a wonderful opening.
Well,
so true and from the heart,
it's exactly how I feel about you and I just want,
and I feel the same too.
Cheers from the west coast to the east coast,
(02:04):
east coast to the west coast.
Yes,
I meant cheers just like old times.
Yes.
Just like old times.
And I'm so excited to gather with you today around the table of God,
food,
wine.
You too.
Thank you so much for having me.
So here we are.
(02:26):
I know,
I,
I miss you.
I,
I know we're not in the same,
the same city anymore.
I know I miss you too.
We're not even in the same state anymore.
I know we're not even in the same state anymore,
but on two different sides of the coast.
Um But I am thankful for social media where we can talk like this and I feel like I'm in the very same room with you right now.
(02:51):
So it's like old times,
like old times.
Absolutely.
Me too.
What are you sipping on over there?
So,
I've got one of my favorite roses.
Dark horse.
Um It's a great price point.
It's refreshing.
(03:11):
It's light it's easy to drink.
It goes with everything.
Um And I did a commercial for them years ago,
so gonna be a little partial to them.
So I remember that.
That was an amazing commercial.
Yeah,
you were,
I can't find it anymore.
But yeah,
that was such a great,
(03:31):
that was,
that's neat that you were able to combine your hospitality experience,
your acting experience,
you know,
together in one through that commercial.
I remember what an amazing um commercial that was.
Yeah.
Thanks a lot of fun.
Yeah,
I forget what winery we went to,
(03:51):
but I remember calling you and having you help me with the directions because you were,
you'd been there before.
They do a lot of uh it's,
I think it was in,
it was in Dry Creek somewhere.
So,
yeah,
I love Dry Creek.
I love it over there.
That's right.
Yeah,
I think they make,
I think they're known for a really good Zinfandel if I am not mistaken.
(04:13):
Dark Horse Zinfandel.
Yeah.
Roses is so good.
Roses is great because you can,
you can enjoy it any time of this email.
Yeah,
I know.
And I'll,
I'll just drink it year round,
you know.
Yeah,
it's very versatile.
Yeah,
I got into the habit of drinking lighter shades of wine in case I spill.
(04:40):
I love it.
Yes,
it can.
And my,
it's white or like,
you know,
very white beige color.
So.
Oh yeah.
Red wine to clean.
Oh,
yeah.
Well,
often later I'll,
I'll tell you about an awesome formula I have for that and I cannot remember the name of it right now,
(05:01):
but it takes away all traces of evidence of red wine.
Yes,
I need that.
You sure,
Sarah about all the tricks too.
She was the master of cleaning up red wine.
Oh,
yeah.
Yes,
she was.
Yeah.
Well,
I'm,
I'm cheering with you today with a,
(05:23):
um,
bottle of sparkling wine.
Well,
not bottle,
obviously having glass but it's rotor.
And when I think of enjoying wine with you,
I always think of bubbles.
So I got bubbles.
That's all right.
It's nice to see some rose over there because I love rose.
(05:47):
Um,
but this is great.
It's like $30 and it's a great,
it's the same family that makes crystal champagne.
Very high end,
very good champagne.
So,
um,
this is a great quality wine for a good price and I'm all about that.
Oh,
me too.
I love Ro and crystal.
(06:09):
Oh,
yeah.
I haven't had crystal except for once in my life.
It was in the eighties.
Really?
It was in the eighties.
Oh,
yeah.
Right.
I wasn't,
uh,
I didn't have any crystal in the eighties.
No,
it was like,
I was like,
what you had it when you were like five.
Actually,
one of my really good friends from grade school,
(06:31):
her parents had a,
had an amazing wine cellar and we,
we were in high school.
And I always hung out with my friend and her friend's parents always had their friends over drinking good wine.
So,
I remember one day they brought out the crystal and they let,
they let us try it and that's how I got to try it.
(06:51):
I didn't even know what crystal was right then.
Yeah,
I know.
And it's crazy too because you didn't have an appreciation for it.
I'm sure you're like,
oh,
this is weird.
Exactly.
I didn't know.
I had no idea what I was drinking but I was having some good stuff.
Ridge Montebello's Crystal.
They,
they had a lot of the eighties brands,
Jordan Vineyards,
(07:12):
all of the,
you know,
the classics.
Um,
but I did not know about wine back then.
So,
so,
yeah,
so you come from hospital,
you have a,
a great hospitality background and I do know it well.
So how did you get into the,
(07:33):
the food and wine um industry?
Well,
um,
I kind of always was in and out of the food industry in general.
Um,
just throughout my whole working adult life.
Um I've had my bittersweet moments with it.
(07:54):
It was very,
it's definitely very challenging and uh I'm really glad to not be doing it anymore,
but I also do kind of miss um the connecting with customers,
you know,
the uh meeting different people.
(08:17):
Um And I'm,
and I am really grateful for it because it really grew me as a person.
But um,
a lot of the times when I would get jobs,
uh,
I got them through friends.
I usually met somebody who,
like at,
when I worked up at Francis Ford Coppola.
I made friends with a customer who happens to be the bar manager at Francis Ford Coppola.
(08:42):
So,
um,
that's,
that's usually how I got in to a,
um,
a restaurant or a bar.
So,
yeah.
Well,
I remember a great story that you shared with me and the girls about Mr Francis Ford Coppola himself serenading you.
(09:03):
The what?
It's funny,
I just told that story before too and II,
I had forgotten about it until you were just sitting.
We were,
I'm listening to you talk and I thought I remember that beautiful moment.
I wasn't there but I felt like I was and how you shared it.
So what happened?
(09:23):
So,
uh I was behind the bar.
I was working and Francis came in and I was like,
oh my God.
And he came up to the bar and sat down and he's just the sweetest man.
He is the whole family.
(09:44):
They're,
they're great.
They're such nice people,
very generous,
extremely generous and thoughtful.
And he reaches his hands across the bar and he's like,
are you happy?
Is everything going good here?
Are you happy here?
And I was like,
yeah,
Francis,
that really looks great,
(10:06):
Mr Coppola.
And he asked me what my name was and I told him Heather and he uh,
proceeded to sing a song from an old classic called Brigadoon.
And there's a song in the movie called Rolling In the Heather.
(10:27):
Oh,
well,
I have chills right now.
Yeah,
Francis being Francis just started singing it and I was like,
hm,
I cooked up the year round.
Some of the people who had been working for,
uh,
the family for a long time,
one of them was walking up the stairs right by the bar and looked down and was like,
(10:50):
what?
And I was like,
I can die now,
I can die.
I mean,
who gets to say that they've been serenaded by Francis Ford Coppola in a very,
in a very organic way,
you know.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Oh,
it was amazing.
(11:11):
It was great.
So immediately I,
you know,
went home and,
and scoured the internet and everything for Brigadoon and watched that.
Oh,
wow.
That is so beau,
I love,
I love how you shared that his presence at the winery was,
was pretty frequent.
Right.
He was,
he was the face of the,
of the winery at the time.
(11:34):
Yeah,
he was,
he was very involved.
So,
is Ellie Eleanor,
his wife?
Um,
they would always come in and,
you know,
of course to come and check on their business but also just check in with people,
see how they're doing.
And,
um,
it was mostly Ellie walking around and checking things out and Francis would just kind of plant himself somewhere and he's,
(11:58):
he's a big people watcher.
So he would just,
you know,
watch people.
He'd go and get a little cafe table outside and get a little craft of water and just sit there and watch all the family swimming and having a good time at the pool.
And most of the time nobody knew it was him.
No,
nobody,
I would probably say a good 98% of the time people had no idea.
(12:22):
It was Francis Coppola.
Wow,
that's,
that's cool for him.
You know,
being able to relax in his winery and just lay back,
you know.
Wow,
what an experience and how long did you work there?
I was there for just over five years and with your love of acting and you being an actress that had to be a very special um experience.
(12:47):
Yeah,
it was,
it was a very good experience.
It was very challenging at times,
but like I said before talking about uh working in hospitality,
it really grew me as a person.
So um it was very challenging but very rewarding and definitely working in an environment where,
(13:11):
you know,
movies and film were a focal point.
It was so cool.
I mean,
his Oscars were upstairs notes about pre production of The Godfather.
You know,
it was really cool,
really cool.
That is,
that's amazing.
(13:32):
I know I just,
I love,
I,
as I was writing and,
and thinking about introducing you to the podcast today,
I realized Heather has so many different flavors in her life of things that you love and things that you do,
like you're multifaceted,
(13:53):
you have so much talent and in everything that you touch,
it turns to gold,
it literally does and just whether it's your acting,
you know,
in hospitality.
Now,
here you are in the United States Navy,
like everything you do is with excellence.
(14:15):
And that's what God was highlighting to me as I was meditating on your introduction.
And I guess I've known that,
but I haven't ever really thought about that.
You know,
I've never really put it all about how I am.
Exactly.
Yes.
How amazing you are kidding?
(14:40):
You shouldn't be kidding.
It's true.
So,
um,
yeah,
but II,
I have personally enjoyed all of our talks and I still enjoy them.
But,
you know,
when we were living in the same city and our food and wine and all of our conversations because I love,
(15:00):
I love how you enjoy food.
And I,
it's one of those things I love to talk with you about because we both kind of have that spark,
um,
that same thread,
kindred spirits in that.
So it's,
it's,
it's just really fun to,
to share that with you.
Food and wine.
(15:21):
Absolutely.
And I miss that.
I miss that.
I,
you know,
don't have that,
like,
closely with you anymore,
you know,
being so far away.
I really miss that.
I'm like,
you know,
I don't have my wine and food buddies and what is Amy?
You know?
(15:41):
I know.
I know.
Well,
speaking of,
we,
our,
our friends and our friendships have,
we've all gone through a transition because of changes in our life.
Some of us have gotten married,
some of us have moved to other States,
you know,
(16:02):
or just circumstances have changed and you and I had a really amazing conversation the other day about that over the phone.
And I really enjoyed it because it was something that I've really been thinking a lot about and it's been on my heart.
But also God's been talking to me about women friendships and just that,
(16:27):
that beautiful,
uh need,
that innate need that we have as women to gather together as a tribe,
you know,
as a tribe of women that support,
encourage and love one another.
And it's,
there's nothing like it in the universe and only women can really,
(16:51):
I think,
understand that from the deepest core of their soul,
you know,
of our soul is,
it's hard,
it's unexplainable.
It is.
And even men recognize it.
They know that we have that connection and they're just like,
what is,
uh,
you ladies in your thing?
(17:12):
You know,
they just don't have,
they have their own unique bonds with each other.
But I think it's just so different between women.
I think we know we have such a need for each other,
um,
communally.
I think we just,
it's like ingrained in us that we know we need each other,
(17:32):
you know.
Yes.
Yes.
It's,
and it's,
it's such a unique bond that there comes a lot of emotions with that.
You know?
And a lot of,
it's like with the transitions,
it's hard.
It's hard.
It's like,
wait,
where's my tribe?
You know?
Like,
I know I've personally moved to a new city.
(17:53):
You've moved to a whole new state and then making new friends and,
um,
maintaining the friendships that are already there.
You know,
it's,
it's different than just being in the same city.
So,
um,
yeah,
how have you noticed that your friendships,
(18:14):
how have your friendships evolved over your seasons of your life?
Yeah.
So,
I,
uh,
this was a great,
um,
like question because I,
I've definitely thought about that.
I,
I haven't thought of that,
thought about it directly,
(18:36):
you know,
like I've just been thinking about it,
you know,
not really understanding what I'm trying to process but that the process is,
you know,
your friendships shift,
they grow and they move and they change.
It doesn't,
nothing stays the same.
(18:56):
And I think especially during this move out here being in Virginia,
uh,
there,
there's been a bit of a mourning process,
you know,
not having you girls there.
Um,
my salon girlfriends and it's different.
(19:18):
I definitely,
I definitely feel all on my own out here.
But,
um,
I mean,
it's not terrible.
Don't,
don't cry for me.
I'm fine.
I'm fine.
I'm fine.
Don't,
don't cry for me.
(19:38):
California.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Oh.
But I've been coming to a place of just like,
ok,
it's,
my relationships have shifted and they've grown some have,
(19:59):
uh,
not stay as consistent as I had wanted them to be.
And that's ok and it's ok and I'm learning to be ok with that because,
you know,
me,
I'm,
like,
textbook extrovert and I like to stay in contact with people.
(20:21):
But I also wonder you're right about that.
I try to,
I'm not always the best.
But,
um,
yeah,
and just being ok with that,
the shift of a friendship because I think I wanna,
like,
I think most people when they feel that something is shifting that they're like,
(20:41):
no,
no,
no,
no,
no.
Let's hold on to,
we're moving away from that.
That's,
that's what we were doing and then now we're over here and it feels uncomfortable.
Sure.
We don't know how to process that.
But I'm in a place now where it's ok,
you know,
as women who've been in friendships,
(21:02):
I mean,
all,
all of us have been in this friendship since,
you know what,
over a decade now.
So,
yeah,
a lot of things are gonna happen.
Yeah.
So a lot of things are gonna happen,
babies and marriages and moves and,
you know,
people are gonna spread out sometimes and it,
it is kind of painful but it's,
(21:24):
it's ok,
it's ok and I think that's what I've been learning and trying to tell myself that,
um,
it's ok to have those shifts and it's ok to kind of fall out of constant contact with people because I've also noticed that it,
it'll come back around,
you know.
(21:44):
Um,
yeah.
Yeah.
No,
I,
I definitely hear you.
I think,
I think that I've realized because,
I mean,
just between me and you,
you know,
I got married and I did,
II,
I went away into my newlywed zone and yeah,
(22:07):
but you know,
it was also a shift,
right?
Because I was,
I was um merging with my,
my husband and also have my friends and I wasn't that single Amy anymore that was available all the time and I was struggling with that,
(22:29):
but I was also just committed to like building that foundation with my husband,
you know,
that solid ground.
Now we're like,
ok,
babe have fun,
go out with your friends,
do that whatever,
you know.
Don't you have something to do today?
Like,
don't,
don't you need to hang out with your buddies?
Are these friends coming over?
(22:49):
Yeah,
he's like,
do you have any girlfriends you wanna hang with?
You know,
you know,
you start to,
you know,
want that time to yourself,
you know,
um and it comes to a healthy,
a healthy point but there,
it's a journey,
it's like there's an ebb and flow to it.
And so I,
I realize,
you know,
now where I'm at,
you know,
(23:10):
um I might have treated that differently.
I would have done that differently.
I think there's so much in me that's very segmented.
Like I'm very compartmentalized.
I'm like,
oh,
ok,
I'm getting married.
I'm doing this and I'm going to commit to this quality time.
But hey,
oh,
yeah,
don't forget about my friends who are over here like that,
(23:32):
have supported you through all of that and prayed for your husband and have been there hearing all the heartaches and,
like hearing all the crap that,
you know,
to get to this point.
Like I would have,
I would have done that differently.
You know,
I think I didn't realize it back then.
It was kind of like maybe the space I needed to be in at the time.
(23:53):
But I realized I was like,
yeah,
I could have balanced that out a little bit more.
Um,
but I think it's just a process,
you know,
how do we,
it's how we learn and grow,
but I realize how important and how much I cherish our friendship and how much that you have spoken into my life and,
(24:17):
you know,
we've spoken into each other's lives and how important that that is.
And,
um,
it's incredible.
It's incredible women friendships.
II,
I know there are women out there that don't have friendships that they can,
can be in and,
(24:37):
and,
um,
that are crying out for praying for friends,
you know?
And so kind of the older I get the more I realize,
you know,
appreciate and,
and cherish relationship,
you know,
it's,
they're not relationships,
(24:58):
they ebb and flow and there might,
there might be that season of where you might not talk to a friend for a season.
And sometimes God's in that,
you know,
I'm like,
oh God,
it's like,
you know what that friend needs space,
like she'll be back but just give her space.
It's not about you.
It's about something she's going through and that's what I've learned.
(25:22):
Lord.
Will you talk to me about all of my friendships?
Will you talk to me about me being a friend for others?
Like,
what,
how can I be?
How can I be a healthier friend,
a friend that,
you know,
is really there in the Holy Spirit if that makes sense?
No,
it does.
That's great.
(25:43):
I should do that.
I think you,
I think you do without knowing it because you're so into the Holy Spirit.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well,
I,
uh,
I definitely am pretty intuitive so I can definitely,
and I'm an empath so I feel people.
So if there's something going on,
(26:04):
I know and I,
I generally try not to take things personal because I think that's a big key that,
you know,
if,
if a friend needs space,
you know,
don't take it too personal.
Like,
why aren't they reaching out?
Hello?
Sure.
You don't take it personal.
You know,
they're probably,
they're probably super busy.
(26:25):
You know,
like,
I have a,
one of my friends back home.
I,
I don't really talk to her too much at all but when I see her it's like no time has passed.
Yeah.
And some people are just like that,
you know,
I have two friends back on my own.
Drive me nuts.
Can't get them to message me back for the life of me.
(26:47):
But,
uh,
when I see them they're always there and,
you know,
you don't miss a beat and Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah,
I know.
It's hard.
It's sometimes it's hard though to not take it personally.
Like I think,
I think in our souls,
we,
we want to be accepted and loved and,
(27:08):
and we all have different styles of love languages.
So some of us,
some of us need affirmation more than others.
Some of us need actual like quality face to face,
touch time,
you know,
like I want to see you.
I want to hug you.
I want,
I want to see you.
Um others not so much,
(27:28):
you know.
And,
and I realized,
oh yeah,
that's true.
We all have different styles.
Like,
what would you say?
What would you say is your top friendship,
love language.
Well,
I out of the language,
love languages.
I'm,
I'm physical touch in words of affirmation.
(27:50):
So touch me and tell me I'm beautiful.
I love your hugs that the best,
you know,
like I receive love that way.
Like when I,
you know,
and I hear that I'm valued and even just like a,
you know,
grabbing of the hand and like,
(28:12):
I'm so glad to see you or a nice hug or something.
That's,
that's how I,
you know,
that I love,
love like that.
That's,
that's my love language.
So,
and it's super helpful.
I remember when we all did the love language test years ago.
It's so helpful.
Yeah,
it's just so helpful to um even just to,
(28:36):
just to know everybody in your life that way it doesn't have to be a romantic partner.
It's sure it helps you understand,
like she's not a touch person.
You gonna touch me,
make it,
make it quick.
Oh,
man.
I think I overwhelmed her with hugs when I first met her because being from the south,
straight off the boat from the south,
(28:58):
bring it in.
Bring it in.
You don't touch me.
Yeah.
Exactly.
But I think,
I think she takes my hugs now though.
Oh,
yeah,
it will be down.
She's like,
exactly.
I'm gonna get through this.
I'm gonna get through this letter for her.
(29:18):
Exactly.
But also if you want to,
like,
if Sarah is throwing her party when you come over early and help set up where you stay a little bit later and you help clean up.
That's her love language.
Sure.
Sure.
Acts of service.
That is Sarah all the way.
(29:39):
Yeah,
definitely.
That's,
that's where she's like,
oh my gosh,
I'm bored.
You're amazing.
Thank you.
You know,
you see me.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yeah.
That's what it is.
You see me.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that's,
that's,
that's what I love about.
Our,
our tribe of women in God,
(30:02):
food wine is,
I think there is a,
there's a transparency,
there's a vulnerability,
there's a presence of,
I see you,
you know,
when we gather,
I,
I see you,
I hear you.
Um,
you know,
there's that time of being together and I know over the past 10 years that has been more impactful to me than I really understand.
(30:30):
You know,
and I'm grateful,
I'm grateful to the Holy Spirit for downloading that,
that,
hey,
why don't y'all all get together and have some food and wine and have fun and,
you know,
God's not churchy,
you know,
that's what he told me one day he goes,
I'm not churchy.
(30:50):
I mean,
he,
he loves church.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
He's like,
I'm everywhere like you,
you know,
where two or more gathered there here I am like it doesn't have to be this structured formal setting.
It can be casual with,
you know.
Yeah.
Ritz Crackers and some two buck chuck,
you know.
Exactly.
(31:11):
It's all about relationship,
right?
No matter what it is.
And so,
yeah,
no matter where it is.
So,
I,
I love that about him.
So,
me too.
And I think we've all connected over that and coming to understand that and then watching these beautiful friendships blossom for over 10 years.
(31:32):
You know,
we really were a godsend to each other even if,
yeah,
some of us were kicking and screaming and I remember I,
I'd be like,
this girl,
Sarah has called me three times this week.
I'm not answering my phone.
I'm not going,
I'm not going,
(31:53):
I'm not going.
I don't wanna go.
Then I'd go and I'd be like,
that's amazing.
And I'd be crying and I'd be like,
thank you God for dragging me out of it.
Thank you for Sarah.
I love Sarah for that.
She's like,
not gonna give up.
I love that about her,
that persistence,
you know.
Um That reminded me of the first time that I met you.
(32:16):
The first time that I met you is at the women's group that your mother was hosting.
This was way back and she was hosting a women's gathering oh,
at their house.
Do you remember they were living at the Garvan house?
Yeah.
Yeah.
(32:37):
And I remember it was like my first time to go and it was all wonderful women and friends that we have today.
A lot of them.
That was a horrible time for me.
Well,
that's what I was wanting to,
to point out in a positive way was that here,
(32:57):
here you were going through a really hard time.
I didn't know you yet.
All I knew is that I could feel your pain.
You were in this place that you were hurting and you were still there.
I was like,
man,
if I felt that way,
I would not be here.
That's what I was thinking to myself.
(33:17):
I didn't want to.
I remember,
I think you even faced the window,
like you just looked outside,
like I'm here,
but I'm looking out there and out of all that,
you turned around all of a sudden and you looked at me and you gave me a word like who does that?
(33:39):
Like,
I,
you know,
personally when I'm hurting,
I'm pretty much about myself.
At that point,
I'm like,
not thinking about anybody else.
I'm thinking about all of my hurt and my pain.
And I was so I was so amazed and impressed.
I was like,
who is this amazing lady who's this amazing woman?
I just that I was like,
(34:02):
what did I say to you?
You said?
And at that time,
I was not familiar with prophetic words.
Like I didn't really know what that was,
but I realized it was even more crazy.
I was like,
what?
So I,
I remember you said,
you said,
um I see you with a skep in your hand and you have this scepter in your hand that God has given you from the heavens.
(34:31):
And it was basically you were telling me you have authority in the kingdom.
Um He's,
you know,
which we all do.
I,
I think we all have that scepter.
We're all queens in his kingdom.
But it was a word like,
but yeah,
I've got a lot of them.
Yes,
you do.
You have a ton of them?
(34:53):
I think at the time,
like,
I needed to hear that because I didn't understand that.
I was actually part of the family of the Kingdom of God.
Like I didn't understand my worth.
I didn't understand.
I always felt like I was outside.
I always felt like,
you know,
I was in the church,
I was,
you know,
raised Catholic.
(35:14):
I went to church.
I then I went,
started going to nondenominational churches and I,
I received Jesus and you know,
all of those things.
I never,
I never felt like I belonged though.
I never felt that I was there.
So I think your word was basically the God telling me no,
(35:35):
you are,
you are part of this community.
You're a part of,
you are fan,
you are my,
you are my child.
You are my daughter and I gave you that,
you know,
so I,
I was just amazed,
I was just amazed though at,
at your,
your word because of how you were feeling that day.
(35:57):
And I thought that's,
that's,
that's,
that was a testimony to me.
That was a story for me.
That was an inspiration to me to get outside of myself,
you know,
and um hear what,
hear what's going on in God's heart and sharing it with others,
even if we don't feel like it,
you know,
those days and we're just like me,
(36:19):
I don't really feel like sharing anything today.
Yeah.
And you did it?
Yeah,
I remember.
I've,
I've completely forgot about that,
um,
experience.
I remember now,
but I definitely,
I'd be in my room and I knew it was getting close to everybody coming over.
I'd be like,
I have a biscuit.
(36:40):
I'm not going out there.
I don't want to go.
I feel awful.
I'm not a,
you know,
oh,
hey,
how are you doing on?
Right?
You know,
I'm like,
not all the,
all the pleasure pleasantries.
Yeah,
all the pleasantries and stuff and,
and I'd be like,
nope,
(37:00):
not going,
not going.
My mom would knock on the door.
She'd be like,
the ladies are gonna be here soon.
Just wanted to let you know.
And I'd be like,
I'm not coming out and,
and it would be a around the time everybody's arriving and then I hear God like,
(37:20):
hm.
Yeah.
Will you please go sit out out there?
You can sit up there for me.
Like what?
No,
but he,
you know,
he asked me to and I was like,
fine,
I'll go and I'm not talking to anybody and I'm facing the window and then you turn around and give a word to somebody help it.
(37:48):
He'd tell me and I'd be like,
really,
you really want me to say this,
this person right now.
I don't even know this person.
I already look like a crazy person right now as it is and I,
I couldn't help that.
I had to say it,
you know,
I'm so glad you were,
you came out.
I'm so glad you came in.
Yeah.
Yeah,
(38:08):
me too.
I can't say no to him when he asks me like that.
You know,
because it's so sweet and it's so pure and so,
and I,
I know he's asking me because it's for my benefit.
Yeah.
He knows that that helped pull me out of that,
you know,
deep broken heartedness.
So,
(38:29):
yeah.
Yeah.
He knows,
he knows.
God knows exactly.
He has our best interests at heart.
You know,
even when we don't realize it,
he just knows what our heart needs all the time,
you know,
what,
like,
all knowing and,
yeah.
(38:49):
Yeah.
Sometimes I just want to fight it,
you know,
and then other times I'm like,
ok,
I,
I'm open just depends on what my heart is feeling that day,
you know.
So,
it's quite amazing.
It's really easy to just get stuck in emotion about something going on or,
(39:13):
and just stay there and live out of that.
But it's such a huge,
like,
growth spurt if you can learn to not let your emotions override what the truth is.
And that,
you know,
(39:34):
it doesn't matter what's going on in our emotional state or even what's going on in life or in the world because part of our purpose is to speak life into each other.
You know,
and even if it was all those uncomfortable,
(39:55):
you know,
meetings where I knew I looked like a weirdo laying on that day bed staring out the window,
not wanting to engage with anybody.
But um even if it was just to give you that little word,
you know,
that,
that meant that here we are,
here we are and here we are as friends.
(40:18):
And I'm so blessed that,
that we could gather like this today on God food wine.
Talk at the table at God food wine with God food wine.
This is a baby baby podcast.
It's still being birth,
right?
And talk at the table with God food wine.
(40:38):
And I'm really excited to see how it blossoms and flowers and grows.
And me too.
I'm so excited for it.
It is amazing.
You are,
you are the first,
really the first God food wine talk at the Table with God Food Wine podcast.
(41:02):
Yes,
I am.
Of course you are because that's where you're meant to be right here.
Tears in the library.
Shining star.
Yes.
So there,
there's a,
a new online community that we're growing.
(41:24):
Go to God food wine dot com and sign up.
It's free our online community.
And this season's question that we asked some of our friends was what brings in all the cozy for fall fields in your life,
in your daily life in this season.
So I want to ask you what brings in all the cozy for fall fields in your life.
(41:50):
For fall.
Well,
for me,
I mean,
it's quite sunny here today.
It's been,
you know,
the weather is slowly changing.
They released all the,
like fall flavors that,
you know,
the coffee shops and stuff lately and it's still like 100 degrees outside.
So it just didn't feel right.
(42:10):
Hello?
Fall?
No,
I know.
Hello.
Fall on the east coast.
Um,
but it's finally starting to cool down.
So with that,
you know,
I um for me,
what's giving me all the fall feels is making my little apartment more homey and cozy.
Um like my,
(42:33):
my little completely fake little birch tree thing.
It's so cozy there.
You have your plant with your fireplace and the light coming through.
You look very cozy right now.
Thank you.
And then I'm gonna flip,
I flip the camera.
Sure.
Oh yeah,
(42:53):
I did my little,
you've got your pumpkins and your candle.
You,
you always know how to set a mood,
set the mood.
You know,
I love doing stuff like that and you know,
now that I have my own space and it's,
that's what's giving me all the cozy fall feels.
(43:14):
You know,
I wanna get a cute little flannel blanket from my couch and you know,
make it like I'm not gonna go too crazy because like I said,
I'm trying to spend,
uh,
I'm trying,
I try to spend more money.
Are we all trying not to spend more money or we,
you know,
(43:35):
unnecessary things.
But I love those little things for me.
It's just the little things and I'm gonna start,
the weather is supposed to be starting to get a lot cooler.
It's so like,
I think today it's in the mid seventies and I think tomorrow will be in the eighties.
But,
you know,
once that weather starts getting more cold,
(43:55):
I wanna start,
you know,
cooking more and making my,
making my pot pies.
Oh,
I miss your chicken pot pie.
If y'all have never had Heather's chicken pot pie,
you're missing out.
It's amazing.
She makes the best chicken pot pie.
So when you see her say I want you to make me a chicken pot pie.
(44:19):
And hey,
I was told to tell you to make me a chicken pot pie and it's just like they are.
That would be so cool though.
That would be so cool though.
If I walked around somewhere in Virginia and somebody said that to me,
I'd be like,
oh my God,
you're coming over tonight and I'm making you chicken pot pie.
(44:42):
I don't care.
That would be amazing.
Bring the wine and,
and I'll make the pie and I'll provide the food.
Amen.
It is so good.
II I just,
I can taste it right now of how,
how cozy and comforting and it's so made with your love.
(45:03):
Like there's love,
your love is oozing out of that chickenpox butter.
Hey,
butter is love.
That's my love language food.
Oh,
yeah.
Absolutely.
All the real butter love me.
All of it.
Yeah.
Amen.
And another thing I thought of and you're on the east coast leaf peeping.
(45:24):
All the leaf pepper are gonna be coming out soon.
Oh,
I bet it's gorgeous right now.
Are going to be gorgeous when that happens.
I gotta go to the,
I gotta find out the right places where I'm here to go.
I'm still not quite sure.
But I can see in certain little areas when I'm driving around,
you can start to see the leaves starting to turn and starting to fall in the breeze.
(45:45):
And I'm like,
oh so pretty.
Yes,
you live in a gorgeous area.
It's so pretty,
very pretty.
And I look forward to getting over there one day soon and flying to you and being in that apartment and being able to clean glasses,
right?
(46:06):
And I'll feed you full of pot pie and I want some chicken pot pie,
I'll bring the wine.
There we go.
That the chicken pop pie.
Well,
I want to thank you so much for gathering today with me around the table of God,
food wine.
And I know it's going to bless others to see your beautiful face,
(46:30):
your beautiful heart.
And I just thank you God for this time together and thank you,
cheers to you.
This has been amazing and thank you so much.
I feel very honored to um you know,
(46:52):
be on this uh maiden Voyage of your podcast.
Send it off.
You know,
I feel like we should get a champagne bottle and break.
I know we need to savor a champagne bottle.
I've never savored a champagne bottle before,
but it would be fun to learn.
(47:12):
I this,
yes.
Would you like prayer for anything as women?
We're here to support and encourage you in daily life.
If you would like prayer for anything,
send us ad M on Instagram.
We believe in the heart of prayer and we believe in miracles.
So we will pray with faith filled hearts for you.
(47:34):
Did you know that in addition to women's gatherings,
God food,
wine offers wine,
education and services for your next private food and wine event.
Check out our services on the website God food wine dot com.
We'd love to help you host your next event.
And if you would like to come to our next women's gathering,
if you are a woman who might want some support and encouragement,
(47:55):
maybe you've moved to a new town in Sonoma County and you haven't met anyone yet.
DM US on Instagram at God Food Wine.
We would love to hang out with you at our next gathering until then come hang out with us on Instagram.
And our website is God food wine dot com.
And remember this,
you are invited and you are loved.
(48:18):
All right,
my friends,
we'll talk soon.
See you around the table of God food wine.
Welcome to talk at the table with God,
food,
wine.
It's like walking into your friend's place,
cozy,
uplifting and inviting as you enter your friend,
greets you with a smile making you feel instantly at home.
You have arrived.
It's beautiful having you here.
My name is Amy.
I am your host and so grateful to be here with you today around the table of God food wine.
(00:25):
So pour yourself a glass of wine.
We have non alcoholic wine too.
Get cozy and treat yourself to some well deserved you.
Time as we relax and share inspired conversation,
food and wine.
Welcome to the Table of God food wine today.
Our God food wine table is like a banquet table spanning across the entire country from the west coast to the east coast.
(00:52):
My beautiful hearted friend,
Heather joins us today,
bringing a present to the table that adds flavor and richness to conversations.
Whenever I'm around her,
some of my most meaningful friendships have been with Heather,
especially meeting up after a long day of work from Chateau,
Montelena and Francis Ford Coppola where we would come home and share wines that we would take home from the day having delicious bits and engaging in conversation,
(01:21):
talking about anything and everything.
My friend Heather is an accomplished actress,
passionate foodie,
intuitive herbalist and an honored vor of the United States Navy.
Please join me in welcoming my cherished friend Heather.
Oh,
(01:42):
thank you.
Thank you for such a wonderful opening.
Well,
so true and from the heart,
it's exactly how I feel about you and I just want,
and I feel the same too.
Cheers from the west coast to the east coast,
(02:04):
east coast to the west coast.
Yes,
I meant cheers just like old times.
Yes.
Just like old times.
And I'm so excited to gather with you today around the table of God,
food,
wine.
You too.
Thank you so much for having me.
So here we are.
(02:26):
I know,
I,
I miss you.
I,
I know we're not in the same,
the same city anymore.
I know I miss you too.
We're not even in the same state anymore.
I know we're not even in the same state anymore,
but on two different sides of the coast.
Um But I am thankful for social media where we can talk like this and I feel like I'm in the very same room with you right now.
(02:51):
So it's like old times,
like old times.
Absolutely.
Me too.
What are you sipping on over there?
So,
I've got one of my favorite roses.
Dark horse.
Um It's a great price point.
It's refreshing.
(03:11):
It's light it's easy to drink.
It goes with everything.
Um And I did a commercial for them years ago,
so gonna be a little partial to them.
So I remember that.
That was an amazing commercial.
Yeah,
you were,
I can't find it anymore.
But yeah,
that was such a great,
(03:31):
that was,
that's neat that you were able to combine your hospitality experience,
your acting experience,
you know,
together in one through that commercial.
I remember what an amazing um commercial that was.
Yeah.
Thanks a lot of fun.
Yeah,
I forget what winery we went to,
(03:51):
but I remember calling you and having you help me with the directions because you were,
you'd been there before.
They do a lot of uh it's,
I think it was in,
it was in Dry Creek somewhere.
So,
yeah,
I love Dry Creek.
I love it over there.
That's right.
Yeah,
I think they make,
I think they're known for a really good Zinfandel if I am not mistaken.
(04:13):
Dark Horse Zinfandel.
Yeah.
Roses is so good.
Roses is great because you can,
you can enjoy it any time of this email.
Yeah,
I know.
And I'll,
I'll just drink it year round,
you know.
Yeah,
it's very versatile.
Yeah,
I got into the habit of drinking lighter shades of wine in case I spill.
(04:40):
I love it.
Yes,
it can.
And my,
it's white or like,
you know,
very white beige color.
So.
Oh yeah.
Red wine to clean.
Oh,
yeah.
Well,
often later I'll,
I'll tell you about an awesome formula I have for that and I cannot remember the name of it right now,
(05:01):
but it takes away all traces of evidence of red wine.
Yes,
I need that.
You sure,
Sarah about all the tricks too.
She was the master of cleaning up red wine.
Oh,
yeah.
Yes,
she was.
Yeah.
Well,
I'm,
I'm cheering with you today with a,
(05:23):
um,
bottle of sparkling wine.
Well,
not bottle,
obviously having glass but it's rotor.
And when I think of enjoying wine with you,
I always think of bubbles.
So I got bubbles.
That's all right.
It's nice to see some rose over there because I love rose.
(05:47):
Um,
but this is great.
It's like $30 and it's a great,
it's the same family that makes crystal champagne.
Very high end,
very good champagne.
So,
um,
this is a great quality wine for a good price and I'm all about that.
Oh,
me too.
I love Ro and crystal.
(06:09):
Oh,
yeah.
I haven't had crystal except for once in my life.
It was in the eighties.
Really?
It was in the eighties.
Oh,
yeah.
Right.
I wasn't,
uh,
I didn't have any crystal in the eighties.
No,
it was like,
I was like,
what you had it when you were like five.
Actually,
one of my really good friends from grade school,
(06:31):
her parents had a,
had an amazing wine cellar and we,
we were in high school.
And I always hung out with my friend and her friend's parents always had their friends over drinking good wine.
So,
I remember one day they brought out the crystal and they let,
they let us try it and that's how I got to try it.
(06:51):
I didn't even know what crystal was right then.
Yeah,
I know.
And it's crazy too because you didn't have an appreciation for it.
I'm sure you're like,
oh,
this is weird.
Exactly.
I didn't know.
I had no idea what I was drinking but I was having some good stuff.
Ridge Montebello's Crystal.
They,
they had a lot of the eighties brands,
Jordan Vineyards,
(07:12):
all of the,
you know,
the classics.
Um,
but I did not know about wine back then.
So,
so,
yeah,
so you come from hospital,
you have a,
a great hospitality background and I do know it well.
So how did you get into the,
(07:33):
the food and wine um industry?
Well,
um,
I kind of always was in and out of the food industry in general.
Um,
just throughout my whole working adult life.
Um I've had my bittersweet moments with it.
(07:54):
It was very,
it's definitely very challenging and uh I'm really glad to not be doing it anymore,
but I also do kind of miss um the connecting with customers,
you know,
the uh meeting different people.
(08:17):
Um And I'm,
and I am really grateful for it because it really grew me as a person.
But um,
a lot of the times when I would get jobs,
uh,
I got them through friends.
I usually met somebody who,
like at,
when I worked up at Francis Ford Coppola.
I made friends with a customer who happens to be the bar manager at Francis Ford Coppola.
(08:42):
So,
um,
that's,
that's usually how I got in to a,
um,
a restaurant or a bar.
So,
yeah.
Well,
I remember a great story that you shared with me and the girls about Mr Francis Ford Coppola himself serenading you.
(09:03):
The what?
It's funny,
I just told that story before too and II,
I had forgotten about it until you were just sitting.
We were,
I'm listening to you talk and I thought I remember that beautiful moment.
I wasn't there but I felt like I was and how you shared it.
So what happened?
(09:23):
So,
uh I was behind the bar.
I was working and Francis came in and I was like,
oh my God.
And he came up to the bar and sat down and he's just the sweetest man.
He is the whole family.
(09:44):
They're,
they're great.
They're such nice people,
very generous,
extremely generous and thoughtful.
And he reaches his hands across the bar and he's like,
are you happy?
Is everything going good here?
Are you happy here?
And I was like,
yeah,
Francis,
that really looks great,
(10:06):
Mr Coppola.
And he asked me what my name was and I told him Heather and he uh,
proceeded to sing a song from an old classic called Brigadoon.
And there's a song in the movie called Rolling In the Heather.
(10:27):
Oh,
well,
I have chills right now.
Yeah,
Francis being Francis just started singing it and I was like,
hm,
I cooked up the year round.
Some of the people who had been working for,
uh,
the family for a long time,
one of them was walking up the stairs right by the bar and looked down and was like,
(10:50):
what?
And I was like,
I can die now,
I can die.
I mean,
who gets to say that they've been serenaded by Francis Ford Coppola in a very,
in a very organic way,
you know.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Oh,
it was amazing.
(11:11):
It was great.
So immediately I,
you know,
went home and,
and scoured the internet and everything for Brigadoon and watched that.
Oh,
wow.
That is so beau,
I love,
I love how you shared that his presence at the winery was,
was pretty frequent.
Right.
He was,
he was the face of the,
of the winery at the time.
(11:34):
Yeah,
he was,
he was very involved.
So,
is Ellie Eleanor,
his wife?
Um,
they would always come in and,
you know,
of course to come and check on their business but also just check in with people,
see how they're doing.
And,
um,
it was mostly Ellie walking around and checking things out and Francis would just kind of plant himself somewhere and he's,
(11:58):
he's a big people watcher.
So he would just,
you know,
watch people.
He'd go and get a little cafe table outside and get a little craft of water and just sit there and watch all the family swimming and having a good time at the pool.
And most of the time nobody knew it was him.
No,
nobody,
I would probably say a good 98% of the time people had no idea.
(12:22):
It was Francis Coppola.
Wow,
that's,
that's cool for him.
You know,
being able to relax in his winery and just lay back,
you know.
Wow,
what an experience and how long did you work there?
I was there for just over five years and with your love of acting and you being an actress that had to be a very special um experience.
(12:47):
Yeah,
it was,
it was a very good experience.
It was very challenging at times,
but like I said before talking about uh working in hospitality,
it really grew me as a person.
So um it was very challenging but very rewarding and definitely working in an environment where,
(13:11):
you know,
movies and film were a focal point.
It was so cool.
I mean,
his Oscars were upstairs notes about pre production of The Godfather.
You know,
it was really cool,
really cool.
That is,
that's amazing.
(13:32):
I know I just,
I love,
I,
as I was writing and,
and thinking about introducing you to the podcast today,
I realized Heather has so many different flavors in her life of things that you love and things that you do,
like you're multifaceted,
(13:53):
you have so much talent and in everything that you touch,
it turns to gold,
it literally does and just whether it's your acting,
you know,
in hospitality.
Now,
here you are in the United States Navy,
like everything you do is with excellence.
(14:15):
And that's what God was highlighting to me as I was meditating on your introduction.
And I guess I've known that,
but I haven't ever really thought about that.
You know,
I've never really put it all about how I am.
Exactly.
Yes.
How amazing you are kidding?
(14:40):
You shouldn't be kidding.
It's true.
So,
um,
yeah,
but II,
I have personally enjoyed all of our talks and I still enjoy them.
But,
you know,
when we were living in the same city and our food and wine and all of our conversations because I love,
(15:00):
I love how you enjoy food.
And I,
it's one of those things I love to talk with you about because we both kind of have that spark,
um,
that same thread,
kindred spirits in that.
So it's,
it's,
it's just really fun to,
to share that with you.
Food and wine.
(15:21):
Absolutely.
And I miss that.
I miss that.
I,
you know,
don't have that,
like,
closely with you anymore,
you know,
being so far away.
I really miss that.
I'm like,
you know,
I don't have my wine and food buddies and what is Amy?
You know?
(15:41):
I know.
I know.
Well,
speaking of,
we,
our,
our friends and our friendships have,
we've all gone through a transition because of changes in our life.
Some of us have gotten married,
some of us have moved to other States,
you know,
(16:02):
or just circumstances have changed and you and I had a really amazing conversation the other day about that over the phone.
And I really enjoyed it because it was something that I've really been thinking a lot about and it's been on my heart.
But also God's been talking to me about women friendships and just that,
(16:27):
that beautiful,
uh need,
that innate need that we have as women to gather together as a tribe,
you know,
as a tribe of women that support,
encourage and love one another.
And it's,
there's nothing like it in the universe and only women can really,
(16:51):
I think,
understand that from the deepest core of their soul,
you know,
of our soul is,
it's hard,
it's unexplainable.
It is.
And even men recognize it.
They know that we have that connection and they're just like,
what is,
uh,
you ladies in your thing?
(17:12):
You know,
they just don't have,
they have their own unique bonds with each other.
But I think it's just so different between women.
I think we know we have such a need for each other,
um,
communally.
I think we just,
it's like ingrained in us that we know we need each other,
(17:32):
you know.
Yes.
Yes.
It's,
and it's,
it's such a unique bond that there comes a lot of emotions with that.
You know?
And a lot of,
it's like with the transitions,
it's hard.
It's hard.
It's like,
wait,
where's my tribe?
You know?
Like,
I know I've personally moved to a new city.
(17:53):
You've moved to a whole new state and then making new friends and,
um,
maintaining the friendships that are already there.
You know,
it's,
it's different than just being in the same city.
So,
um,
yeah,
how have you noticed that your friendships,
(18:14):
how have your friendships evolved over your seasons of your life?
Yeah.
So,
I,
uh,
this was a great,
um,
like question because I,
I've definitely thought about that.
I,
I haven't thought of that,
thought about it directly,
(18:36):
you know,
like I've just been thinking about it,
you know,
not really understanding what I'm trying to process but that the process is,
you know,
your friendships shift,
they grow and they move and they change.
It doesn't,
nothing stays the same.
(18:56):
And I think especially during this move out here being in Virginia,
uh,
there,
there's been a bit of a mourning process,
you know,
not having you girls there.
Um,
my salon girlfriends and it's different.
(19:18):
I definitely,
I definitely feel all on my own out here.
But,
um,
I mean,
it's not terrible.
Don't,
don't cry for me.
I'm fine.
I'm fine.
I'm fine.
Don't,
don't cry for me.
(19:38):
California.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Oh.
But I've been coming to a place of just like,
ok,
it's,
my relationships have shifted and they've grown some have,
(19:59):
uh,
not stay as consistent as I had wanted them to be.
And that's ok and it's ok and I'm learning to be ok with that because,
you know,
me,
I'm,
like,
textbook extrovert and I like to stay in contact with people.
(20:21):
But I also wonder you're right about that.
I try to,
I'm not always the best.
But,
um,
yeah,
and just being ok with that,
the shift of a friendship because I think I wanna,
like,
I think most people when they feel that something is shifting that they're like,
(20:41):
no,
no,
no,
no,
no.
Let's hold on to,
we're moving away from that.
That's,
that's what we were doing and then now we're over here and it feels uncomfortable.
Sure.
We don't know how to process that.
But I'm in a place now where it's ok,
you know,
as women who've been in friendships,
(21:02):
I mean,
all,
all of us have been in this friendship since,
you know what,
over a decade now.
So,
yeah,
a lot of things are gonna happen.
Yeah.
So a lot of things are gonna happen,
babies and marriages and moves and,
you know,
people are gonna spread out sometimes and it,
it is kind of painful but it's,
(21:24):
it's ok,
it's ok and I think that's what I've been learning and trying to tell myself that,
um,
it's ok to have those shifts and it's ok to kind of fall out of constant contact with people because I've also noticed that it,
it'll come back around,
you know.
(21:44):
Um,
yeah.
Yeah.
No,
I,
I definitely hear you.
I think,
I think that I've realized because,
I mean,
just between me and you,
you know,
I got married and I did,
II,
I went away into my newlywed zone and yeah,
(22:07):
but you know,
it was also a shift,
right?
Because I was,
I was um merging with my,
my husband and also have my friends and I wasn't that single Amy anymore that was available all the time and I was struggling with that,
(22:29):
but I was also just committed to like building that foundation with my husband,
you know,
that solid ground.
Now we're like,
ok,
babe have fun,
go out with your friends,
do that whatever,
you know.
Don't you have something to do today?
Like,
don't,
don't you need to hang out with your buddies?
Are these friends coming over?
(22:49):
Yeah,
he's like,
do you have any girlfriends you wanna hang with?
You know,
you know,
you start to,
you know,
want that time to yourself,
you know,
um and it comes to a healthy,
a healthy point but there,
it's a journey,
it's like there's an ebb and flow to it.
And so I,
I realize,
you know,
now where I'm at,
you know,
(23:10):
um I might have treated that differently.
I would have done that differently.
I think there's so much in me that's very segmented.
Like I'm very compartmentalized.
I'm like,
oh,
ok,
I'm getting married.
I'm doing this and I'm going to commit to this quality time.
But hey,
oh,
yeah,
don't forget about my friends who are over here like that,
(23:32):
have supported you through all of that and prayed for your husband and have been there hearing all the heartaches and,
like hearing all the crap that,
you know,
to get to this point.
Like I would have,
I would have done that differently.
You know,
I think I didn't realize it back then.
It was kind of like maybe the space I needed to be in at the time.
(23:53):
But I realized I was like,
yeah,
I could have balanced that out a little bit more.
Um,
but I think it's just a process,
you know,
how do we,
it's how we learn and grow,
but I realize how important and how much I cherish our friendship and how much that you have spoken into my life and,
(24:17):
you know,
we've spoken into each other's lives and how important that that is.
And,
um,
it's incredible.
It's incredible women friendships.
II,
I know there are women out there that don't have friendships that they can,
can be in and,
(24:37):
and,
um,
that are crying out for praying for friends,
you know?
And so kind of the older I get the more I realize,
you know,
appreciate and,
and cherish relationship,
you know,
it's,
they're not relationships,
(24:58):
they ebb and flow and there might,
there might be that season of where you might not talk to a friend for a season.
And sometimes God's in that,
you know,
I'm like,
oh God,
it's like,
you know what that friend needs space,
like she'll be back but just give her space.
It's not about you.
It's about something she's going through and that's what I've learned.
(25:22):
Lord.
Will you talk to me about all of my friendships?
Will you talk to me about me being a friend for others?
Like,
what,
how can I be?
How can I be a healthier friend,
a friend that,
you know,
is really there in the Holy Spirit if that makes sense?
No,
it does.
That's great.
(25:43):
I should do that.
I think you,
I think you do without knowing it because you're so into the Holy Spirit.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well,
I,
uh,
I definitely am pretty intuitive so I can definitely,
and I'm an empath so I feel people.
So if there's something going on,
(26:04):
I know and I,
I generally try not to take things personal because I think that's a big key that,
you know,
if,
if a friend needs space,
you know,
don't take it too personal.
Like,
why aren't they reaching out?
Hello?
Sure.
You don't take it personal.
You know,
they're probably,
they're probably super busy.
(26:25):
You know,
like,
I have a,
one of my friends back home.
I,
I don't really talk to her too much at all but when I see her it's like no time has passed.
Yeah.
And some people are just like that,
you know,
I have two friends back on my own.
Drive me nuts.
Can't get them to message me back for the life of me.
(26:47):
But,
uh,
when I see them they're always there and,
you know,
you don't miss a beat and Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah,
I know.
It's hard.
It's sometimes it's hard though to not take it personally.
Like I think,
I think in our souls,
we,
we want to be accepted and loved and,
(27:08):
and we all have different styles of love languages.
So some of us,
some of us need affirmation more than others.
Some of us need actual like quality face to face,
touch time,
you know,
like I want to see you.
I want to hug you.
I want,
I want to see you.
Um others not so much,
(27:28):
you know.
And,
and I realized,
oh yeah,
that's true.
We all have different styles.
Like,
what would you say?
What would you say is your top friendship,
love language.
Well,
I out of the language,
love languages.
I'm,
I'm physical touch in words of affirmation.
(27:50):
So touch me and tell me I'm beautiful.
I love your hugs that the best,
you know,
like I receive love that way.
Like when I,
you know,
and I hear that I'm valued and even just like a,
you know,
grabbing of the hand and like,
(28:12):
I'm so glad to see you or a nice hug or something.
That's,
that's how I,
you know,
that I love,
love like that.
That's,
that's my love language.
So,
and it's super helpful.
I remember when we all did the love language test years ago.
It's so helpful.
Yeah,
it's just so helpful to um even just to,
(28:36):
just to know everybody in your life that way it doesn't have to be a romantic partner.
It's sure it helps you understand,
like she's not a touch person.
You gonna touch me,
make it,
make it quick.
Oh,
man.
I think I overwhelmed her with hugs when I first met her because being from the south,
straight off the boat from the south,
(28:58):
bring it in.
Bring it in.
You don't touch me.
Yeah.
Exactly.
But I think,
I think she takes my hugs now though.
Oh,
yeah,
it will be down.
She's like,
exactly.
I'm gonna get through this.
I'm gonna get through this letter for her.
(29:18):
Exactly.
But also if you want to,
like,
if Sarah is throwing her party when you come over early and help set up where you stay a little bit later and you help clean up.
That's her love language.
Sure.
Sure.
Acts of service.
That is Sarah all the way.
(29:39):
Yeah,
definitely.
That's,
that's where she's like,
oh my gosh,
I'm bored.
You're amazing.
Thank you.
You know,
you see me.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yeah.
That's what it is.
You see me.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that's,
that's,
that's what I love about.
Our,
our tribe of women in God,
(30:02):
food wine is,
I think there is a,
there's a transparency,
there's a vulnerability,
there's a presence of,
I see you,
you know,
when we gather,
I,
I see you,
I hear you.
Um,
you know,
there's that time of being together and I know over the past 10 years that has been more impactful to me than I really understand.
(30:30):
You know,
and I'm grateful,
I'm grateful to the Holy Spirit for downloading that,
that,
hey,
why don't y'all all get together and have some food and wine and have fun and,
you know,
God's not churchy,
you know,
that's what he told me one day he goes,
I'm not churchy.
(30:50):
I mean,
he,
he loves church.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
He's like,
I'm everywhere like you,
you know,
where two or more gathered there here I am like it doesn't have to be this structured formal setting.
It can be casual with,
you know.
Yeah.
Ritz Crackers and some two buck chuck,
you know.
Exactly.
(31:11):
It's all about relationship,
right?
No matter what it is.
And so,
yeah,
no matter where it is.
So,
I,
I love that about him.
So,
me too.
And I think we've all connected over that and coming to understand that and then watching these beautiful friendships blossom for over 10 years.
(31:32):
You know,
we really were a godsend to each other even if,
yeah,
some of us were kicking and screaming and I remember I,
I'd be like,
this girl,
Sarah has called me three times this week.
I'm not answering my phone.
I'm not going,
I'm not going,
(31:53):
I'm not going.
I don't wanna go.
Then I'd go and I'd be like,
that's amazing.
And I'd be crying and I'd be like,
thank you God for dragging me out of it.
Thank you for Sarah.
I love Sarah for that.
She's like,
not gonna give up.
I love that about her,
that persistence,
you know.
Um That reminded me of the first time that I met you.
(32:16):
The first time that I met you is at the women's group that your mother was hosting.
This was way back and she was hosting a women's gathering oh,
at their house.
Do you remember they were living at the Garvan house?
Yeah.
Yeah.
(32:37):
And I remember it was like my first time to go and it was all wonderful women and friends that we have today.
A lot of them.
That was a horrible time for me.
Well,
that's what I was wanting to,
to point out in a positive way was that here,
(32:57):
here you were going through a really hard time.
I didn't know you yet.
All I knew is that I could feel your pain.
You were in this place that you were hurting and you were still there.
I was like,
man,
if I felt that way,
I would not be here.
That's what I was thinking to myself.
(33:17):
I didn't want to.
I remember,
I think you even faced the window,
like you just looked outside,
like I'm here,
but I'm looking out there and out of all that,
you turned around all of a sudden and you looked at me and you gave me a word like who does that?
(33:39):
Like,
I,
you know,
personally when I'm hurting,
I'm pretty much about myself.
At that point,
I'm like,
not thinking about anybody else.
I'm thinking about all of my hurt and my pain.
And I was so I was so amazed and impressed.
I was like,
who is this amazing lady who's this amazing woman?
I just that I was like,
(34:02):
what did I say to you?
You said?
And at that time,
I was not familiar with prophetic words.
Like I didn't really know what that was,
but I realized it was even more crazy.
I was like,
what?
So I,
I remember you said,
you said,
um I see you with a skep in your hand and you have this scepter in your hand that God has given you from the heavens.
(34:31):
And it was basically you were telling me you have authority in the kingdom.
Um He's,
you know,
which we all do.
I,
I think we all have that scepter.
We're all queens in his kingdom.
But it was a word like,
but yeah,
I've got a lot of them.
Yes,
you do.
You have a ton of them?
(34:53):
I think at the time,
like,
I needed to hear that because I didn't understand that.
I was actually part of the family of the Kingdom of God.
Like I didn't understand my worth.
I didn't understand.
I always felt like I was outside.
I always felt like,
you know,
I was in the church,
I was,
you know,
raised Catholic.
(35:14):
I went to church.
I then I went,
started going to nondenominational churches and I,
I received Jesus and you know,
all of those things.
I never,
I never felt like I belonged though.
I never felt that I was there.
So I think your word was basically the God telling me no,
(35:35):
you are,
you are part of this community.
You're a part of,
you are fan,
you are my,
you are my child.
You are my daughter and I gave you that,
you know,
so I,
I was just amazed,
I was just amazed though at,
at your,
your word because of how you were feeling that day.
(35:57):
And I thought that's,
that's,
that's,
that was a testimony to me.
That was a story for me.
That was an inspiration to me to get outside of myself,
you know,
and um hear what,
hear what's going on in God's heart and sharing it with others,
even if we don't feel like it,
you know,
those days and we're just like me,
(36:19):
I don't really feel like sharing anything today.
Yeah.
And you did it?
Yeah,
I remember.
I've,
I've completely forgot about that,
um,
experience.
I remember now,
but I definitely,
I'd be in my room and I knew it was getting close to everybody coming over.
I'd be like,
I have a biscuit.
(36:40):
I'm not going out there.
I don't want to go.
I feel awful.
I'm not a,
you know,
oh,
hey,
how are you doing on?
Right?
You know,
I'm like,
not all the,
all the pleasure pleasantries.
Yeah,
all the pleasantries and stuff and,
and I'd be like,
nope,
(37:00):
not going,
not going.
My mom would knock on the door.
She'd be like,
the ladies are gonna be here soon.
Just wanted to let you know.
And I'd be like,
I'm not coming out and,
and it would be a around the time everybody's arriving and then I hear God like,
(37:20):
hm.
Yeah.
Will you please go sit out out there?
You can sit up there for me.
Like what?
No,
but he,
you know,
he asked me to and I was like,
fine,
I'll go and I'm not talking to anybody and I'm facing the window and then you turn around and give a word to somebody help it.
(37:48):
He'd tell me and I'd be like,
really,
you really want me to say this,
this person right now.
I don't even know this person.
I already look like a crazy person right now as it is and I,
I couldn't help that.
I had to say it,
you know,
I'm so glad you were,
you came out.
I'm so glad you came in.
Yeah.
Yeah,
(38:08):
me too.
I can't say no to him when he asks me like that.
You know,
because it's so sweet and it's so pure and so,
and I,
I know he's asking me because it's for my benefit.
Yeah.
He knows that that helped pull me out of that,
you know,
deep broken heartedness.
So,
(38:29):
yeah.
Yeah.
He knows,
he knows.
God knows exactly.
He has our best interests at heart.
You know,
even when we don't realize it,
he just knows what our heart needs all the time,
you know,
what,
like,
all knowing and,
yeah.
(38:49):
Yeah.
Sometimes I just want to fight it,
you know,
and then other times I'm like,
ok,
I,
I'm open just depends on what my heart is feeling that day,
you know.
So,
it's quite amazing.
It's really easy to just get stuck in emotion about something going on or,
(39:13):
and just stay there and live out of that.
But it's such a huge,
like,
growth spurt if you can learn to not let your emotions override what the truth is.
And that,
you know,
(39:34):
it doesn't matter what's going on in our emotional state or even what's going on in life or in the world because part of our purpose is to speak life into each other.
You know,
and even if it was all those uncomfortable,
(39:55):
you know,
meetings where I knew I looked like a weirdo laying on that day bed staring out the window,
not wanting to engage with anybody.
But um even if it was just to give you that little word,
you know,
that,
that meant that here we are,
here we are and here we are as friends.
(40:18):
And I'm so blessed that,
that we could gather like this today on God food wine.
Talk at the table at God food wine with God food wine.
This is a baby baby podcast.
It's still being birth,
right?
And talk at the table with God food wine.
(40:38):
And I'm really excited to see how it blossoms and flowers and grows.
And me too.
I'm so excited for it.
It is amazing.
You are,
you are the first,
really the first God food wine talk at the Table with God Food Wine podcast.
(41:02):
Yes,
I am.
Of course you are because that's where you're meant to be right here.
Tears in the library.
Shining star.
Yes.
So there,
there's a,
a new online community that we're growing.
(41:24):
Go to God food wine dot com and sign up.
It's free our online community.
And this season's question that we asked some of our friends was what brings in all the cozy for fall fields in your life,
in your daily life in this season.
So I want to ask you what brings in all the cozy for fall fields in your life.
(41:50):
For fall.
Well,
for me,
I mean,
it's quite sunny here today.
It's been,
you know,
the weather is slowly changing.
They released all the,
like fall flavors that,
you know,
the coffee shops and stuff lately and it's still like 100 degrees outside.
So it just didn't feel right.
(42:10):
Hello?
Fall?
No,
I know.
Hello.
Fall on the east coast.
Um,
but it's finally starting to cool down.
So with that,
you know,
I um for me,
what's giving me all the fall feels is making my little apartment more homey and cozy.
Um like my,
(42:33):
my little completely fake little birch tree thing.
It's so cozy there.
You have your plant with your fireplace and the light coming through.
You look very cozy right now.
Thank you.
And then I'm gonna flip,
I flip the camera.
Sure.
Oh yeah,
(42:53):
I did my little,
you've got your pumpkins and your candle.
You,
you always know how to set a mood,
set the mood.
You know,
I love doing stuff like that and you know,
now that I have my own space and it's,
that's what's giving me all the cozy fall feels.
(43:14):
You know,
I wanna get a cute little flannel blanket from my couch and you know,
make it like I'm not gonna go too crazy because like I said,
I'm trying to spend,
uh,
I'm trying,
I try to spend more money.
Are we all trying not to spend more money or we,
you know,
(43:35):
unnecessary things.
But I love those little things for me.
It's just the little things and I'm gonna start,
the weather is supposed to be starting to get a lot cooler.
It's so like,
I think today it's in the mid seventies and I think tomorrow will be in the eighties.
But,
you know,
once that weather starts getting more cold,
(43:55):
I wanna start,
you know,
cooking more and making my,
making my pot pies.
Oh,
I miss your chicken pot pie.
If y'all have never had Heather's chicken pot pie,
you're missing out.
It's amazing.
She makes the best chicken pot pie.
So when you see her say I want you to make me a chicken pot pie.
(44:19):
And hey,
I was told to tell you to make me a chicken pot pie and it's just like they are.
That would be so cool though.
That would be so cool though.
If I walked around somewhere in Virginia and somebody said that to me,
I'd be like,
oh my God,
you're coming over tonight and I'm making you chicken pot pie.
(44:42):
I don't care.
That would be amazing.
Bring the wine and,
and I'll make the pie and I'll provide the food.
Amen.
It is so good.
II I just,
I can taste it right now of how,
how cozy and comforting and it's so made with your love.
(45:03):
Like there's love,
your love is oozing out of that chickenpox butter.
Hey,
butter is love.
That's my love language food.
Oh,
yeah.
Absolutely.
All the real butter love me.
All of it.
Yeah.
Amen.
And another thing I thought of and you're on the east coast leaf peeping.
(45:24):
All the leaf pepper are gonna be coming out soon.
Oh,
I bet it's gorgeous right now.
Are going to be gorgeous when that happens.
I gotta go to the,
I gotta find out the right places where I'm here to go.
I'm still not quite sure.
But I can see in certain little areas when I'm driving around,
you can start to see the leaves starting to turn and starting to fall in the breeze.
(45:45):
And I'm like,
oh so pretty.
Yes,
you live in a gorgeous area.
It's so pretty,
very pretty.
And I look forward to getting over there one day soon and flying to you and being in that apartment and being able to clean glasses,
right?
(46:06):
And I'll feed you full of pot pie and I want some chicken pot pie,
I'll bring the wine.
There we go.
That the chicken pop pie.
Well,
I want to thank you so much for gathering today with me around the table of God,
food wine.
And I know it's going to bless others to see your beautiful face,
(46:30):
your beautiful heart.
And I just thank you God for this time together and thank you,
cheers to you.
This has been amazing and thank you so much.
I feel very honored to um you know,
(46:52):
be on this uh maiden Voyage of your podcast.
Send it off.
You know,
I feel like we should get a champagne bottle and break.
I know we need to savor a champagne bottle.
I've never savored a champagne bottle before,
but it would be fun to learn.
(47:12):
I this,
yes.
Would you like prayer for anything as women?
We're here to support and encourage you in daily life.
If you would like prayer for anything,
send us ad M on Instagram.
We believe in the heart of prayer and we believe in miracles.
So we will pray with faith filled hearts for you.
(47:34):
Did you know that in addition to women's gatherings,
God food,
wine offers wine,
education and services for your next private food and wine event.
Check out our services on the website God food wine dot com.
We'd love to help you host your next event.
And if you would like to come to our next women's gathering,
if you are a woman who might want some support and encouragement,
(47:55):
maybe you've moved to a new town in Sonoma County and you haven't met anyone yet.
DM US on Instagram at God Food Wine.
We would love to hang out with you at our next gathering until then come hang out with us on Instagram.
And our website is God food wine dot com.
And remember this,
you are invited and you are loved.
(48:18):
All right,
my friends,
we'll talk soon.
See you around the table of God food wine.
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