1) I am not very observant. About halfway through the first hymn/worship song set, I noticed a man that looked surprising like our minister playing a trumpet with the band. To be honest, our minister is a semi-generic old man and there was a trumpet in front of his face so I couldn't be sure. I kept watching until the songs were done and then he got up, put down his trumpet, walked over to the pulpit and prayed - it was our minister! Shocked, I whispered to Craig (after the prayer, I'm not a heathen, guys), "The pastor was playing in the band!" Well, after a few more seconds of church whispering, I found out that he always has played in the band. Almost 5 months and I never noticed! Now, to my credit, it's a violin/flute/trumpet kind of band not a couple guitars and a drumset kind of band, so there are a number of people in there but he is one of the only men over 25 so I probably should have picked up that whole multitasking minister thing before now.
2) I am not a section crosser. While there are exceptions, I normally don't like the hand-shaking portion of the services. I did at our last church where it was small and I actually got to say hi to most of the folks that I knew, and at least catch names of any new people so I could greet them later but at even a medium size church there are too many people to know and it just seems insincere. But I go along with the flow - but only to those in my section. None of this walking up and down the aisle or through pews to reach other people to shake. If there aren't a lot of people in my immediate vicinity, then I just don't shake a lot of hands.
3) Craig has a weird effect on my viewing angle. Let me explain. There are two projection screens, one on each side of the front, slightly angled in. Generally, if I am at a function like that, if I am sitting on the right side of the room, I will look at the left screen and if I am on the left side, I will look at the right - kinda like your optic chiasm - or maybe not, it's just how I remember that back when I was in physiology. Anyway, when Craig sits next to me, somehow my paradigm shifts. Now, even if I am on the left side of the room, but on the right side of Craig, I have to look at the left screen. Here's a little diagram.
I try to look at the other one, but it just feels wrong. Does that make sense?
You just want to catch glimpes of your arm candy out of the corner of your eye. We know, we all do it ;) (find ways to look at our own arm candy...not yours. Just thought I'd clarify)
ReplyDeleteDo you go to a "Good morning!" church or a "Peace be with you" church? I'm not gung-ho about the handshaking part either, I always feel awkward, but "peace be with you" is much more awkward than plain old "good morning."
ReplyDeleteNo, Amanda, I think she just wants to keep an eye on me, to keep me in line.
ReplyDeleteAnd Rachel, I agree. Ours is the former.
Does she need to start bringing coloring books and snacks for you so you don't cause trouble Craig?
ReplyDeleteP.S. hand shaking is weird. It's weirder when the music minister (its never the real minister) tells you to hug people. Yeah, not going to happen. I don't hug people I know, much less perfect strangers. I think Jesus would be ok with a fist bump.
Oh man. The first time a minister asked me to hug strangers would be the last time I went to that church. Could.not.handle.
ReplyDeleteI also would not be cool with the hugging. I'm iffy with the idea of hugs in general but especially when the are forced upon us by a third party.
ReplyDeleteEven if the 3rd party is God?
ReplyDelete