Blogs - Chief of Pray Blog

Taste Test: How to Find Out What You Really Like

I used to hate all foods light. Not anymore. Back in the day, before healthy eating, I would see a tube of Pringles Light, and think why bother? If I’m on a diet I shouldn’t be eating potato chips. That was before I needed to diet and I could afford to be smug. 10 pounds later, standing in line at Weight Watchers, I wanted to “drink the Kool-Aid.” In an instant, I went over to the other side— reduced fat options.

That’s how I found myself doing a blind taste test of Hellman’s mayo. I’m so far gone, I didn’t even include regular. I made two samples of cole slaw. One with the green label— Low Fat: 15 calories, 1 gram of fat, and the other with the turquoise label— Light: 35 calories, 3.5 grams of fat. I was alone in the kitchen, so I stuck a toothpick in the Light, closed my eyes, and mixed up the bowls like a con man preparing for a shell game. Then, with my eyes still closed, I tasted each. I could not tell the difference. After reading the ingredients on the label, I decided I was good to go with Low Fat and save myself a point or two in recipes containing mayonnaise.

I’m a big believer in removing labels. I was leading an outreach program in my last synagogue, Congregation Beth Shalom. We developed a survey for our members describing the beliefs of five different Jewish denominations. Without a title above the descriptions, the participants overwhelmingly chose a different set of beliefs than those of their spiritual home. That’s not a surprise. People typically choose a house of worship based on other factors than theology.

What religion would you be if there were no labels? There’s a great website called Beliefnet. It has loads of information about different religions. One feature is Belief-O-Matic. It’s a twenty question quiz that matches your beliefs with the closest religion. It’s a lot of fun to take, and for me it was pretty darn accurate. I was over 90% Reform Jewish in my beliefs. My friend Katherine, loved it. She’s a seeker with a Christian mom and Jewish dad. It helped her to form ideas for affiliation.

I’m proud to be a Jew, and for me it’s more than a label. When I’m in the PrayPals Community with women of different religions; our individual faith identities strengthen the bond we feel.  Praying together, learning about the different practices and talking to each other about interfaith spirituality brings us closer together— just as God intended.

 

Keeping Perspective

As always, my to-do list
is far too long
with groceries to buy,
the house to clean,
and yard work to do.
Please help me keep
these tasks in perspective.
I'm in danger of reducing my life
to a daily check list.
Help me draw on your serenity,
so that I can remember
that we gather together
for more than food,
that no one is checking
to see if the house has been dusted.
With these things in mind,
I can focus on You,
and through You,
on those with whom
I share this special day.

-Sue Bradford Edwards

 

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