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Entering The Convent, The Orthodox Way


marigold

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Clareni, you rock! Such beautiful videos, they've cheered me right me up! :) We are blessed with such heavenly music. When my little charge was sick and screaming the night down, that 10-fold Kyrie Eleison (at 0:36) was the only thing that would make him stop crying. I was annoyed to be woken up, but there are worse things to be kept awake by than his father singing that. Memories :)

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The family dinner was exhausting but there wasn't any explicit drama. Just a lot of pink champagne, even more food, and a lot of screeching around the table. You'd think we were Sicilian or something :pinch: It was awkward when I first came in, my grandma and aunt were both there ready to pounce and looked me up and down as I came up the stairs. Guys, I only have nun clothes so I think I did pretty well! (Is what I wanted to say.) But then the champagne started flowing, the photo albums came out, and the usual run-through of everyone's childhood and everyone's arguments over the years began, and I could just sit back and relax. Sort of. There was some passive aggressive stuff going on as well, and wounded looks from my auntie when 'America' came up a couple of times - that's a euphemism my mum started and it looks like they've all caught on. But I can deal with passive aggressive.

I left as soon as it was polite, after the coffee, and vented to my best friend over the phone on the way home. Today, I've been scheduled to hang out with my grandma while my aunt and mum go shopping, and I should have left 15 mins ago, so... ciao!

:cold:

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[quote name='marigold' timestamp='1332324991' post='2404660']
and wounded looks from my auntie when 'America' came up a couple of times - that's a euphemism my mum started and it looks like they've all caught on.
[/quote]

Glad you "survived" the family dinner. Those can be really hard... But you seemed to have done quite well, dispite the nun-clothes!

The Euphemism - this is exactly what my family started to do! I am not going to the convent, I am "moving to Switzerland"... Of course my parents get asked what I am doing (since I did quite a long grad school, everybody kind of assumes that I am now finally to assume a well paid position...) And since I am living in "exile" here at my parents house right now, I hear them talking on the phone, etc. ... And they also started to say that while talking to me. But I am trying to say "convent" whenever I need to say something about it.

But the reactions are really quite funny... "Oh Switzerland? Everybody seems to migrate to Switzerland. Of course, the wages are much higher there, there work time less.. It is our own econyms fault that all the smart people leave... Your daughter seems to be right on!"

(and me thinking about poverty and hard garden and kitchen work.... ;) )

Sorry to have hijaked your thread, but I had to write this :)

Edited by juchu
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HopefulBride

[quote name='juchu' timestamp='1332327876' post='2404661']
"Oh Switzerland? Everybody seems to migrate to Switzerland. Of course, the wages are much higher there, there work time less.. It is our own econyms fault that all the smart people leave... Your daughter seems to be right on!"

(and me thinking about poverty and hard garden and kitchen work.... ;) )

[/quote]

This exchange and you thinking about the reality of it makes me lol'd. hahaha, I actually find myself tell [i]some [/i]people I'm moving to Washington. Rather than say I'm entering... I thought I was the only one doing that. Good too know I'm not alone.



:offtopic: Sorry Marigold, won't happen again.

Edited by HopefulBride
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maximillion

My mum did the same 33 years ago! She told everyone 'she's going to live and work in France' = Enter the Convent.

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When I entered (35+ years ago) we had to manually take our telephones in and turn them in at the phone office. And disconnect the phones in person while you were there. I wish you could have seen the face of the clerk when I handed in the phone, said I wanted to turn off my phone, and then said, no I won't need a phone where I am going... I am entering a convent. Wish cell phones with cameras had been invented back then.... would have been a great photo....

I remember all those family gatherings... and the odd and hushed conversations that ended when I walked in the room... and the aunt who promised me her china set if I would just NOT do this thing.... and the uncle who disinherited me for 'abandoning my mother.' Oh yes. But they mean well... they just literally don't see the One we see.... and that really does make a difference I think, because what we are doing makes no EARTHLY sense... so how could we expect them to understand on a human level?

Marigold, I pray that all your security issues get resolve F A S T (at least Phaster than the Phorum!) and that you will remember to pray for the security people as a pet project because OBVIOUSLY God has put them in your way for a reason. They need prayers!

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Funny and true story....

MANY years ago in the 1970's (when I was starting to discern), I visited a Carmelite monastery that at that time made beautiful, hand-made and hand painted statues. I purchased this beautiful one that was a combination of Christ the King, Christ the High Priest and the Sacred Heart. I was concerned about it getting broken in my luggage, so I carefully wrapped it in every bit of spare clothing I had. Never before had Jesus had the opportunity to wear a nightgown, sweat shirt and turtle-neck sweaters all at once!

At the airport, I put my bag through the (brand new) x-ray machine and didn't think much about it. Suddenly I had a bunch of security-type people around me, asking what I had in the bag. and would I please take it out. I looked at them as if they had just landed from mars, but of course I complied... but the look on their faces as I removed all the clothes and night clothes to reveal - a statue of Jesus!? - was priceless. They explained ot me that apparently it was covered in lead based paint and looked a WHOLE LOT like a machine gun! And it was buried in clothing! Very suspicious indeed!

May all your run-ins with security be equally easily explained!

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[quote name='AnneLine' timestamp='1332354486' post='2404789']
When I entered (35+ years ago) we had to manually take our telephones in and turn them in at the phone office. And disconnect the phones in person while you were there. I wish you could have seen the face of the clerk when I handed in the phone, said I wanted to turn off my phone, and then said, no I won't need a phone where I am going... I am entering a convent. Wish cell phones with cameras had been invented back then.... would have been a great photo....

I remember all those family gatherings... and the odd and hushed conversations that ended when I walked in the room... and the aunt who promised me her china set if I would just NOT do this thing.... and the uncle who disinherited me for 'abandoning my mother.' Oh yes. But they mean well... they just literally don't see the One we see.... and that really does make a difference I think, because what we are doing makes no EARTHLY sense... so how could we expect them to understand on a human level?

Marigold, I pray that all your security issues get resolve F A S T (at least Phaster than the Phorum!) and that you will remember to pray for the security people as a pet project because OBVIOUSLY God has put them in your way for a reason. They need prayers!
[/quote]

Thank you! Good reminder to pray for the people who are in the bureaucracy. That phone incident must have given you quite a kick :) I have started to almost enjoy dropping the nunshell - at least when I know my life doesn't depend on their reaction.

[quote name='AnneLine' timestamp='1332354754' post='2404792']
Funny and true story....

MANY years ago in the 1970's (when I was starting to discern), I visited a Carmelite monastery that at that time made beautiful, hand-made and hand painted statues. I purchased this beautiful one that was a combination of Christ the King, Christ the High Priest and the Sacred Heart. I was concerned about it getting broken in my luggage, so I carefully wrapped it in every bit of spare clothing I had. Never before had Jesus had the opportunity to wear a nightgown, sweat shirt and turtle-neck sweaters all at once!

At the airport, I put my bag through the (brand new) x-ray machine and didn't think much about it. Suddenly I had a bunch of security-type people around me, asking what I had in the bag. and would I please take it out. I looked at them as if they had just landed from mars, but of course I complied... but the look on their faces as I removed all the clothes and night clothes to reveal - a statue of Jesus!? - was priceless. They explained ot me that apparently it was covered in lead based paint and looked a WHOLE LOT like a machine gun! And it was buried in clothing! Very suspicious indeed!

May all your run-ins with security be equally easily explained!
[/quote]

That is AMAZING. You security rogue :hehe2: The only one I've had so far is last summer when I tried to take the sisters some reeeeally nice English plum jam. They were right at the bottom of my backpack so I completely forgot they were there when we went through security. And of course they have this 100ml rule now. So my bag went through the scanner, set some alarm off, and the security guy emptied my entire bag out in front of everyone. My unmentionables were right there on top of the pile! I told him he should just take the jam home since it was so good, but he threw it in the bin with me watching. Sr. M. was very understanding when I called him some rather unpleasant things :paperbag:

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[quote name='juchu' timestamp='1332327876' post='2404661']
Glad you "survived" the family dinner. Those can be really hard... But you seemed to have done quite well, dispite the nun-clothes!

The Euphemism - this is exactly what my family started to do! I am not going to the convent, I am "moving to Switzerland"... Of course my parents get asked what I am doing (since I did quite a long grad school, everybody kind of assumes that I am now finally to assume a well paid position...) And since I am living in "exile" here at my parents house right now, I hear them talking on the phone, etc. ... And they also started to say that while talking to me. But I am trying to say "convent" whenever I need to say something about it.

But the reactions are really quite funny... "Oh Switzerland? Everybody seems to migrate to Switzerland. Of course, the wages are much higher there, there work time less.. It is our own econyms fault that all the smart people leave... Your daughter seems to be right on!"

(and me thinking about poverty and hard garden and kitchen work.... ;) )

Sorry to have hijaked your thread, but I had to write this :)
[/quote]
[quote name='HopefulBride' timestamp='1332336175' post='2404685']
This exchange and you thinking about the reality of it makes me lol'd. hahaha, I actually find myself tell [i]some [/i]people I'm moving to Washington. Rather than say I'm entering... I thought I was the only one doing that. Good too know I'm not alone.



:offtopic: Sorry Marigold, won't happen again.
[/quote]
[quote name='maximillion' timestamp='1332352332' post='2404774']
My mum did the same 33 years ago! She told everyone 'she's going to live and work in France' = Enter the Convent.
[/quote]

LOL! I love this, it makes me feel so much better to share all these little things - makes the way forward a little easier, knowing and speaking to people who are going through the same stupid little things, or who went through it 30 years ago. Some things never change :hehe2:

HB: no problem, anytime! :)

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Yikes! Mother just wrote to let me know that an officer from Homeland Security is doing a 'site visit' next week! Keep up those strong prayers!

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[quote name='marigold' timestamp='1332369716' post='2404883']
Yikes! Mother just wrote to let me know that an officer from Homeland Security is doing a 'site visit' next week![/quote]

This is unbelievable. The world is full of crazed fanatics trying to kill people and they're investigating an Orthodox Monastery. I feel safer already. This deserves an emoticon and I hate emoticons. :crazy:

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[quote name='Clareni' timestamp='1332383301' post='2405052']
This is unbelievable. The world is full of crazed fanatics trying to kill people and they're investigating an Orthodox Monastery. I feel safer already. This deserves an emoticon and I hate emoticons. :crazy:
[/quote]
[quote name='Lisa' timestamp='1332385292' post='2405083']
What on earth are they looking for on this site-visit?
[/quote]

Eh, who knows. Evidence that it's not a bona fide institution. The reason the petition was delayed in the first place was because they wanted more documentation to explain how my diocese and the monastery's diocese were part of the same religious body. That deserves another emoticon :wall:

Edited by marigold
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[quote name='Carmelshrimp' timestamp='1332422500' post='2405282']
Set the kittens on them! Seriously, good luck. At least things are moving now.
[/quote]

:kitten: :kitten: :kitten: :kitten: :kitten: :kitten: :kitten: :kitten: :kitten: :kitten: :kitten: :kitten:

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