JTheresa Posted June 23, 2010 Posted June 23, 2010 So I'm entering a convent in the fall, and one of my close friends asked me for a list of things that I wanted to do before I entered. Not like I'm dying or something, but there are definitely things that you can do as a lay person that you can't do as a religious, even in the church. So I was wondering, can you think of anything that you would want to do before you entered a convent? For those of you who were in religious life, were there anythings that you would have liked to have done when you entered? There are just some days that I don't have a whole lot to do, and I would like to make the best use of my time left as a lay person. Any suggestions?
vee Posted June 23, 2010 Posted June 23, 2010 Great question and if my memory serves me correctly there was a thread about this topic several months ago titled pre religious life bucket list. Try a search and see if it shows up as it might help you with ideas too As for suggestions...I'm thinking
TradMom Posted June 23, 2010 Posted June 23, 2010 +Praised be Jesus Christ! Congratulations! Can you tell us a little bit about the convent you will be entering? You don't have to give us specific details, but if you are going to be a cloistered nun in the Midwest (for example), I would suggest you plan a visit to the beach! Immediately! But...if you are going to be an active sister with the opportunity to travel, then we can scratch that off the list! Let us know what kind of work you will be doing and what your budget is! I am keeping you in my prayers. Pax, TradMom
JTheresa Posted June 23, 2010 Author Posted June 23, 2010 I'm entering the Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration, an active community with the provincialite in Mishawaka IN. I'll definitely be able to travel, and I am planning a trip to the beach with my family in August. My budget isn't that big, and I've already been to Disneyland. I was going to try to take some short road trips to various shrines in my area, but the problem is that I can spare a few hours each day, but rarely one full day. I'm the oldest child in a single parent family and I usually need to take care of the little ones at some point everyday. I love doing it, but it makes it hard to give any time commitment larger than four or five hours. I can definitely see myself doing something more like sitting around all day, reading comic books, eating my favorite junk food and listening to all the music I would most likely never hear again. The problem is, most of the music that I used to like, makes me feel really uncomfortable now. ( I used to listen to a lot of mainstream rap and hip hop) And most of my favorite rock songs have a lot of language in them, and the last thing I need is more dirty words on my mind. I just need to go through all my songs and find the ones that I can actually listen to. Maybe I'll watch all those stupid funny videos on youtube in the Entertainment subphorum. Here's the list I had a few months ago: 1. Donate blood. ( I already tried it and failed. I have no stomach) 2. Sponsor a child in a different country. 3. Go through all my stuff and give it away accordingly. 4. Visit the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in D.C. 5. Visit my parish museum. 6. Get some friends together for mud volleyball. 3 and 5 are the most likely to happen, 4 wont, and 2 and 6 require more time and effort than all my friends and I tend to have for some reason. and I plan on spending alot more time at the lake. going tubing. and riding, at full speed, on the jetski. into the sunset. all by myself.
laetitia crucis Posted June 23, 2010 Posted June 23, 2010 I'm going to have a Star Trek themed slumber party! I gotta make more converts before I leave, y'know...
vee Posted June 23, 2010 Posted June 23, 2010 Since you will be entering an active order I dont think of any ideas to add to your list that you probably already havent thought of. Hopefully you will get more creative answers!
vee Posted June 23, 2010 Posted June 23, 2010 [quote name='laetitia crucis' date='23 June 2010 - 05:30 AM' timestamp='1277289017' post='2133188'] I'm going to have a Star Trek themed slumber party! I gotta make more converts before I leave, y'know... [/quote] If I could I would totally crash your party armed with chips in ketchup and all dressed flavors since you American s dont seem to have such things
laetitia crucis Posted June 23, 2010 Posted June 23, 2010 [quote name='vee8' date='23 June 2010 - 09:54 AM' timestamp='1277301264' post='2133207'] If I could I would totally crash your party armed with chips in ketchup and all dressed flavors since you American s dont seem to have such things [/quote] That would be FANTAAAAAASTIC!!! Although, we do have ketchup potato chips here. I enjoy those -- Mmmmm! However, you're right, you all definitely have better flavors of chips!
Divine Mercy 9999 Posted June 24, 2010 Posted June 24, 2010 [quote name='laetitia crucis' date='23 June 2010 - 06:13 PM' timestamp='1277334782' post='2133395'] That would be FANTAAAAAASTIC!!! Although, we do have ketchup potato chips here. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/eat.gif[/img] I enjoy those -- Mmmmm! However, you're right, you all definitely have better flavors of chips! [/quote] Ketchup potato chips? Pickle potato chips, I've heard of, but not ketchup... .
TradMom Posted June 24, 2010 Posted June 24, 2010 (edited) +Praised be Jesus Christ! I have been thinking of things you might do before your entrance, and I have come up with a few... Have dinner at a really fancy restaurant (remember that vow of poverty looming over you!!! ) Spend a day (or a weekend!) napping or just lounging around in your p.j.'s! Have a marathon movie (or television series) weekend with your friends. One of my daughters did this (they watched the whole "The Office" - English version - in one weekend!) and the whole family made lots of treats and joined in (though in all honesty the British humor was not all the way perfect for the younger kids - and we had to make some adjustments for their little eyes and ears!!). It was great fun, and definitely something you would not expect to enjoy in convent life! It's fun to pick a theme and go with that...there are so many shows on DVD that you might have missed! (Especially the "pay shows" though I know some of them are not suitable language wise! Or content wise - but you get the idea! Even some of the regular TV shows, which are more appropriate, are on a whole DVD set!) I will think of more ideas for you. We have seen two daughters off to contemplative life and one was much more interested in saying goodbye in a "grand" way, while the other just wanted to get there! I think some of you will be able to guess who was who!!!! Lots of prayers to you, dear! I am very happy you are joining such a lovely Order. May God be with you as you prepare for the beginning of a wonderful life! Pax, TradMom Edited June 24, 2010 by TradMom
DameAgnes Posted June 24, 2010 Posted June 24, 2010 Indulge in just a tiny bit of gluttony, because you won't be able to, again. I suggest Edy's Ice Cream!
vee Posted June 24, 2010 Posted June 24, 2010 [quote name='TradMom' date='24 June 2010 - 01:51 PM' timestamp='1277405483' post='2133699'] +Praised be Jesus Christ! We have seen two daughters off to contemplative life and one was much more interested in saying goodbye in a "grand" way, while the other just wanted to get there! I think some of you will be able to guess who was who!!!! Pax, TradMom [/quote] Well if you're taking guesses... I'd say the daughter who's order says praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever as a greeting is the one who just wanted to get in there!
JTheresa Posted June 24, 2010 Author Posted June 24, 2010 [quote name='vee8' date='24 June 2010 - 06:07 PM' timestamp='1277417263' post='2133774'] Well if you're taking guesses... I'd say the daughter who's order says praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever as a greeting is the one who just wanted to get in there! [/quote] Tradmom has a daughter entering my community?
vee Posted June 24, 2010 Posted June 24, 2010 [quote name='JTheresa' date='24 June 2010 - 05:13 PM' timestamp='1277417618' post='2133775'] Tradmom has a daughter entering my community? [/quote] Im not having a good day!
JTheresa Posted June 24, 2010 Author Posted June 24, 2010 [quote name='vee8' date='24 June 2010 - 06:22 PM' timestamp='1277418134' post='2133778'] Im not having a good day! [/quote]
TeresaBenedicta Posted June 24, 2010 Posted June 24, 2010 The nerd in me really [i]really[/i] wants to go to Harry Potter-land in Florida. Like really bad.
JTheresa Posted June 25, 2010 Author Posted June 25, 2010 (edited) [quote name='laetitia crucis' date='23 June 2010 - 06:30 AM' timestamp='1277289017' post='2133188'] I'm going to have a Star Trek themed slumber party! I gotta make more converts before I leave, y'know... [/quote] That sounds like a great mother daughter night!!! My mom is a HUGE Trekky, but she's so swamped lately that she doesn't get a whole lot of "play time". [quote name='TradMom' date='24 June 2010 - 02:51 PM' timestamp='1277405483' post='2133699'] +Praised be Jesus Christ! I have been thinking of things you might do before your entrance, and I have come up with a few... Have dinner at a really fancy restaurant (remember that vow of poverty looming over you!!! ) [color="#0000FF"]Hmm.... [/color] Spend a day (or a weekend!) napping or just lounging around in your p.j.'s! Have a marathon movie (or television series) weekend with your friends. One of my daughters did this (they watched the whole "The Office" - English version - in one weekend!) and the whole family made lots of treats and joined in (though in all honesty the British humor was not all the way perfect for the younger kids - and we had to make some adjustments for their little eyes and ears!!). It was great fun, and definitely something you would not expect to enjoy in convent life! It's fun to pick a theme and go with that...there are so many shows on DVD that you might have missed! (Especially the "pay shows" though I know some of them are not suitable language wise! Or content wise - but you get the idea! Even some of the regular TV shows, which are more appropriate, are on a whole DVD set!) I will think of more ideas for you. We have seen two daughters off to contemplative life and one was much more interested in saying goodbye in a "grand" way, while the other just wanted to get there! I think some of you will be able to guess who was who!!!! Lots of prayers to you, dear! I am very happy you are joining such a lovely Order. May God be with you as you prepare for the beginning of a wonderful life! Pax, TradMom [/quote] Congratulations TradMom!! It's so wonderful to hear that you have [i]two[/i] daughters in religious life! You have some great ideas! I'm definitely the one who just wants to get there!! But I would like to spend some special time with my family and friends, since seeing and communicating with them will be very limited. Right now I'm hyped on the idea of lounging around in my pjs, eating Edy's ice cream and playing video games with my nine year old sister Monica. It really helps narrow the age gap and sounds like a lot of fun!!! Edited June 25, 2010 by JTheresa
OnlySunshine Posted June 25, 2010 Posted June 25, 2010 If I ever get accepted to a community, I'm doing some definite traveling before entering. I'm thinking Europe. I would travel even if I wasn't entering. I would also have a pre-entrance "bachelorette" party. I've heard of these before and you get to talk to your friends and ask for stuff that is on your entrance necessities list.
Tridenteen Posted June 25, 2010 Posted June 25, 2010 JMJ I would like to have a Bride of Christ Barn Dance (except with english country dancing), a pizza party with my friends, a chance to do a week of classes at Anaheim Ballet (Ihope I can bring my pointe shoes to the convent for recreation or something :-)) to sit in my bed for a week and read, to eat Edy's Ice Cream for a week, and several Vanilla Bean Cream Frappucinos! Oh yeah, and a two week cruise, haha[img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol_roll.gif[/img]
cmaD2006 Posted June 26, 2010 Posted June 26, 2010 When I entered the 1st time ... I went with my family to disneyworld. I had never been there ... ever. neither had my mom. So we had a blast!!!!! The 2nd time ... I didn't do much. I visited my godchildren before entering. I did go to Medjugorje about 8 - 9 months before entering. If (and that's a big if) there is a 3rd time ... disneyworld is on the list again. Maybe holy land. I dunno. I'll think about that if I get to that point again.
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