Tuesday, June 10, 2008

692. Automatic

Then again, God really is always present and even has a sense of humor--God's way of punching back. One morning last week I went into the bakery next door for my usual breakfast bagel. They had just made a new batch, and the server went to the oven in the back of the store to retrieve it. He reached in, and I could see a brand name on the oven door: "Panimatic," right next to a logo of three adjoining circles.

My first thought--panim el panim, face to face with God, right here in this very store! And automatic, requiring no action on my part. But what was the third circle? Maybe the three of them stood for Torah, avodah, and gemilut hasadim--follow these principles and God will surely appear.

Then I remembered "pan" meant bread in any number of languages, and that bagels are round. And acknowledged that I needed a vacation. Still, it's always good to get a reminder over morning coffee about what's really important.

3 comments:

Babz Rawls Ivy said...

Sister,
Believe it or not GOD was talking to you. I amc onvinced that it was no accident that you saw what you saw in reading the words on the oven door. God is as you know can be quite subtle...SMILE!

I will be in NYC the weekend of the June 20th! I would love to come hear you chant the torah.

If you would like and it doesn't freak you out let me know. Just tell me what your rules are in your synagogue. My kids God parents are Jewish. My neighbors are jewish and I often go and turn on the oven and such for them during high holidays etc.

I say that to say that I am not ignorant about the beauty of the jewish faith. I love going to synagogue and I would consider it a high homnor to meet you, or atleast to hear you.

Let me know if that is cool with you. I will be in NYC staying with another blog Sister. Grown Women time!

alto artist said...

Wow--I would be so very honored to meet you! I don't think I'm chanting that weekend, unfortunately (although such things often change at the last minute), but what a pleasure it would be to have you join me at services just the same! I'm trying to stay anonymous online, so will email you at the address on your blog, if that's OK.

--aa.

Babz Rawls Ivy said...

Perfect!

I look forward to hearing from you!

If you are not chanting that weekend, I will certainly be back to NYC...just to hear you!

I would love to meet you. I think you are the coolest!