Last night, in a delightful, post-house church, coffee shop gathering, sitting outside in the lovely night, we were playing “Would You Rather,” a game involving someone asking a question such as “Needing to raise money, say, for seminary for example, would you rather spend a year working in the Reptile House at the St. Louis Zoo, cleaning cages, moving reptiles etc. or spend a year constantly making funnel cakes as a carnival worker?” The person who asked the question would then have to go around and guess how each person would answer. Pretty cool game.
Here are a selection of some of the other questions. Sorry, I cannot remember them all just now.
“Would you rather spend a month long vacaation in Italy or Brazil?”
“Would you rather have two children or five?”
“Would you rather take an art class or literature class (either studying each genre or practising it)?”
“Would you rather lose your sight or your hearing for the rest of your life?”
“Would you rather be married in a stone church or outside?”
This final question elicited some wedding ceremony related discussion, ranging from unity candle symbolism (Yes, Dawn, I mentioned my poo poo-ing the floating unity candle 
to what hymn/chorus/song folks might want to include in their wedding ceremonies.
Well, selecting music for my morning commute reminded me of the song I want for a processional…for the guys that is. You gotta love a pair of nationalistic, nerdy looking, Scottish, identical twins who love the blues, sing in their own accents, and engage in religious reflection from time to time.
Oh…funnel cake, Italy, five, literature, lose my sight (though I later changed it to hearing), and stone church (though I wouldn’t be picky).
This was a precious time! Thanks for blogging about it, Neil. Here were my responses for the record: snakes, Brazil, five, literature, lose my hearing (though later I switched to sight), and stone church (reception outside!).
This was a precious time! Thanks for blogging about it, Neil. Here were my responses for the record: snakes, Brazil, five, literature, lose my hearing (though later I switched to sight), and stone church (reception outside!).
OK, I think the final question from last night was “If you were newly married (or something like that) would you rather travel down the street with your spouse atop an elephant (and in India they have a little box you sit in) or walking on the street, but with a band of trumpeters ahead of you.
It’d be an elephant for me. So, there you have it. Feel free to play along at home via comments.
And, whilst there are all these wedding/marriage related questions about, let me just say I wish I could see more discussion on the excellent question Kirk asks at the end of this post:
http://worshipinthecity.stlouisblogs.org/archives/002704.html
yes, it was a wonderful evening and “would you rather” is a fun game. i actually played it briefly when i was hanging out with laura and carol this afternoon. i asked would they rather go deep sea scuba diving or sky diving. laura said sky diving and carol said scuba diving (and i guessed both of their answers incorrectly).
I wanna play too! I know, I know, housechurch…but I went to this amazing viewing of the Irish Film “Once”! Heard of it? The lead actors perfomed after the viewing. I luuved et!
. On the other hand, I think Italy’s history is fascinating and the art is amazing: Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, not to mention the fact that they gave birth to some of the best theater satirests of all time!
(1) I would choose working at the Reptile House at the St. Louis Zoo-It’s next to the Primate House (where my sloth friend lives).
(2) Brazil or Italy? Depends on my mood; I adore Brazil for its ingenious contributions to dance, and my oh my the yummy food. Oh and traipsing around a gorgeous rainforest wouldn’t be so bad
(3) I’m going with Five when in comes to the kiddies!
(4) I’m guessing I’d take another Literature class. Hum then again I would love to take some drawing classes.
(5) Hearing or sight loss? Hearing. I’m pretty interested in deaf culture and sign has been one of the only languages that clicked for me. I think that if I lost my hearing within the next 10 years I would apply to Gallaudet’s deaf school as an administrator or something. Actually, in college I toyed with the idea until I read a book recommended to me by one of my professors “For Hearing People Only”. I decided being a hearing person at a deaf school would be too intense.
Ah, I see, you married folk are exempt from the last question, eh? Fair enough. But what about the procession options. You can still choose one of those. I am amused that you have such precise plans, you know, should you go deaf in the next 10 years.
I’m a bit of a planner-what can I say? You know, last Sunday I met a group of deaf gentlemen outside of Mokabee’s; conversing with them reminded me how much I used to want to work in a deaf community. The thing is, when I read the question on your blog today, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was a sign (excuse the pun)…you know…that God may be pushing me in that direction after all!
The missed questions:
Processional? An improvisational flute piece by Jacob’s cousin Jamie.
Marriage Location? A stone church.
Elephant or a walk with trumpeters leading the way? ELEPHANT!
Scuba Diving or Sky Diving? Scuba. I think that about does it eh?
i’d rather lose my sight for sure. i know everyone thinks that’s crazy and i’m sure if i worked with blind people rather than deaf people i’d have different feelings on the topic.
heidi, we just sat through student research presentations and one of my classmates recommended “for hearing people only” as a great resource for learning about deaf culture. ooh, you could come visit me in DC and we could go take a tour at gallaudet!
i’d rather lose my sight for sure. i know everyone thinks that’s crazy and i’m sure if i worked with blind people rather than deaf people i’d have different feelings on the topic.
heidi, we just sat through student research presentations and one of my classmates recommended “for hearing people only” as a great resource for learning about deaf culture. ooh, you could come visit me in DC and we could go take a tour at gallaudet!
Claire I would love that! Sometime I’ll love to hear what do you think of Cochlea implants, lip reading, and the use of sign? You know, I was thinking of you over the weekend when Margaret was talking about peddlers offering to clean your ears in Nepal. Get this! Basically, you pay to have them shimmy a LONG rod (way smaller than an elbow) into your ear canal! Shudder!
P.S. Angela H. said it was a scam. Crazy hun?
You know, I think, as terrifying as the prospect seems, I think I have to go sky. I tried swimming a few years ago, and having my ears plugged with wax plugs and having my face under the water really frightened me. So, in that light, I might have to prefer blindness to deafness again. Wow, thank the Lord for corrected 20/20 and clean ears, and I am being serious here.
The only one I have a strong opinion on is that I would rather lose my hearing… I think of it in terms of whether I would better handle not being able to SEE my children as they grow or HEAR my children as they grow, and I think I would be sadder about not getting to see them grow and change into adults.
Even though, I have to admit, the whining gets to me sometimes and I try to appreciate the noise anyway because I know I’ll miss it someday when they’re grown and gone.
I’d also rather be married in a stone church. We settled for brick.
Ah, good, Renae, another perspective from the other side of marriage, and from a parent too! That is an excellent point. I am afraid, I was thinking of it from a rather selfish, how would I cope perspective. It is something to see and be seen by our loved ones, though I wonder if those who are blind, though they cannot actually see their loved ones so as to focus it directly in their direction can still communicate with their eyes, with a twinkle or wrinkles at their edges, their deep love and pleasure.
Ah, good, Renae, another perspective from the other side of marriage, and from a parent too! That is an excellent point. I am afraid, I was thinking of it from a rather selfish, how would I cope perspective. It is something to see and be seen by our loved ones, though I wonder if those who are blind, though they cannot actually see their loved ones so as to focus it directly in their direction can still communicate with their eyes, with a twinkle or wrinkles at their edges, their deep love and pleasure.
1. I’d definitely choose the reptile house. I love reptiles. Though I’m not sure I’d prefer smelling like dirty reptile cages than sweet funnel cakes. Both seem overly strong.
2. I’d rather go to Brazil. I’ve always wanted to go to South America.
3. Definitely five. I grew up in a family of five kids…Kirk in a family of two. We’ve compromised and plan to have four.
4. Honestly, I’d rather never have to go to school again. Though I love reading.
5. I suppose I’d rather loose my hearing. I can’t imagine how hard it’s got to be to be a blind parent. We used to include being wheelchair-bound into this. I think I’d have to say I’d prefer that. I love hearing sounds.
6. I’d rather not have to marry again. We were married in a church which I liked…didn’t have to worry about the weather.
7. I used some trumpet piece for my processional which was what I wanted…anything with a trumpet. We didn’t have a unity candle. And we didn’t have the declaration of intent which makes absolutely no sense to me. I must say it was awesome to have a musician as the groom. So many things I never would have thought of. We used “God has Smiled on Me” for the bridesmaids processional and “As for Me and My House” for the recessional. It was the awesomest wedding I’ve ever been to!
I must say I disagree with Kirk in asking the question, “Why aren’t more weddings included into Sunday worship services.” They’re supposed to be special. It’s a HUGE deal to make a covenant of marriage.