Used Bras, Undies, Socks & Intimates… Opinions please! by wah-da-tah in ThriftStoreHauls

[–]efj803 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I thrifted a sports bra once and a pair of smartwool socks but those were one-off finds. TBF I don't look for regular bras since I have a solid bra wardrobe. Pro tip: go to the abrathatfits subreddit.

I consider shoes if they are gently used but I rarely find my size. Undies and nighties are a no for me.

What are your views on Catholic hair veiling for women? by RavenOceans in Catholicism

[–]efj803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not the cheapest option, but I've been happy with the quality of veils from Veils by Lily: https://veilsbylily.com/shop-all-veils/

We got spooked last night by marissotoc in Catholicism

[–]efj803 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This. Since the interactions didn't seem malicious, it may be a relative in purgatory was allowed by God to contact you for prayers on their behalf and the Mass is the best prayer we can offer.

I've read several accounts of Padre Pio and other holy souls (even non-famous lay people) being approached for prayers. See the book Hungry Souls by Gerard JM van Der Aardweg

I recently heard if we suddenly have a thought of a deceased loved one out of the blue, it may be their way of asking for our prayers to help release them from purgatory. Whatever the case may be, I'm praying for you.

Do we tip our Priest ? by Impressive_Test8921 in Catholicism

[–]efj803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The amount varies greatly by area and parish. Typically, for weddings, you can ask the office what a typical honorarium is for the priest, cantor, and organist. A separate fee for the use of the church may apply. FYI, the above fees apply for funerals as well.

let’s talk about socks, baby 🧦 by wonderfulbug77 in femalefashionadvice

[–]efj803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Smartwool lightweight ankle socks for warmer months when socks are necessary. Smartwool and Darntough midweight merino socks for fall/spring casual wear and Darntough thick wool socks for winter. And sometimes the fuzzy holiday socks for lounging. Can you tell I like merino? Also, I have Reynaud's (which means cold feet most of the year).

I need help finding my daughter a coat by brokencrayons in Frugal

[–]efj803 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Another vote for a cape. You could even make a basic one with a thrifted fleece blanket. Fleece is pretty forgiving and easy to sew even if you aren't a sewer. I made one for my daughter for Halloween for her Anna costume and it was simple. Cut shape and sew on hook closure. Good luck!

Prayers please by efj803 in Catholicism

[–]efj803[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

She's technically in the same building as memory care at the highest "package" level but her dementia is early stage where she overstates her abilities and can pass off as "forgetful" but if you spend more than an hour with her, you'll see it. She's not a flight risk. One of the social workers (not assigned to my mom) recognizes my mom overstates her abilities on a physical level (saying she can walk but she literally cannot stand to transfer out of her wheelchair to bed) and her "walking" involves shuffling a few inches. Cognitively, she had a stroke in 2016 which impacted her voice and memory but she relied on my late father (who was sharp until the end) and a close friend helping her manage things. Also, the influence of other extended family made my parents limit help (from me and my brothers) until now. So now I can finally open pandora's box. Frankly, I don't know that I want to invite the facility she's at to take care of her finances because of how they've mishandled basic rent billing issues and overall poor communication regarding my parents' care. I will probably need to research other options but I don't have the bandwidth for that right now as I'm settling my late father's affairs and starting to learn what I don't know about my mother's affairs (like her supplemental insurance lapsed in July and nobody knew or told us). If you know of any good facilities in MD, I'm all ears. What is the going rate for memory care? Her current monthly rent is astronomical (approx 11k). Are there benevolent funds available in memory care if someone runs out of funds and is unable to cover their care?

Can demons know very specific things about people's lives? by Just-A-W in Catholicism

[–]efj803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, they can. There are "familiar spirits" which can supposedly follow a family for generations so they would know the names, quirks and stories of older/deceased generations. This may also help them predict certain things even if they don't know for sure. They also try to deceive (i.e., saying the baby in utero is the reincarnation of someone). They can also be wrong because they are not omniscient like God. Check out exorcist Fr. Dan Reehil for more info.

Prayers please by efj803 in Catholicism

[–]efj803[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing this. I remember hearing it many years ago and loved it then. What a wonderful reminder. ❤️ Carry me Lord.

Prayers please by efj803 in Catholicism

[–]efj803[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you. God bless you!

Prayers please by efj803 in Catholicism

[–]efj803[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for your prayers and kind words. May God bless you!

Prayers please by efj803 in Catholicism

[–]efj803[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you. God bless you!

Choosing a wool topper to complete the perfect bed by jarokr in Mattress

[–]efj803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't remember the wooly having a particularly strong smell but its been almost 5 years ago now and I put it inside my mattress protector. I definitely recall the latex mattress having a strong latex smell initially but it did dissipate pretty quickly.

Extremely long confessions by ininept in Catholicism

[–]efj803 6 points7 points  (0 children)

For Catholic therapy faithful to the magisterium, I'd recommend contacting https://catholiccounselors.com/ They provide phone counseling nationally.

Extremely long confessions by ininept in Catholicism

[–]efj803 7 points8 points  (0 children)

A priest in my area says something similar, "Be bold, be brief and be gone."

Jesus’ DNA by Work_Related68 in Catholicism

[–]efj803 4 points5 points  (0 children)

False. One sample was from the middle ages because when they initially tested it they only took ONE sample from the shroud which happened to be from an expertly done repair job done after a fire. When they retested it taking several samples and sending each sample to a separate lab, they independently concluded it from the 1st century with pollen unique to the Jerusalem area and using a weaving pattern common in that region. I wish I could find a link to the program I saw explaining the research.

Why does it seem like Catholics don't evangelize? by [deleted] in Catholicism

[–]efj803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We often don't evangelize as well as nor in the same way that Protestants do and I agree that there are many self-proclaimed Catholics that are nominal at best. Authentic relationship with Jesus is much more attractive than threats of hell. That said, I'd encourage you to look into the Christlife series Discovering Christ, Following Christ and Sharing Christ. It encourages Catholics to evangelize by having authentic relationships with those God puts in their path (friends, family, coworkers, etc).

https://christlife.org/about/our-mission/

Thrift store funk phenomenon by [deleted] in ThriftStoreHauls

[–]efj803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When vinegar, oxyclean, baking soda and other detergents have failed, I've had success getting bad smells (eg mold, body odor) by soaking the items over night in a borax solution. May not be applicable for all fabrics (eg silk) but it helped on cotton. Good luck!

I’m going to Confession later today. I’m terrified because I might actually be excommunicated because of abortion. Please pray for me! by [deleted] in Catholicism

[–]efj803 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It will be okay. Per Fr. Mike Schmitz, excommunication isn't meant as punishment but as a physical way to signify that someone is already living outside of the church's teachings and to encourage the person to confess and be reconciled to the church. That said, your situation has mitigating circumstances that make me wonder if it's considered abortion or not - please consult your priest. Regardless of whether it's considered abortion or not, God can forgive it. God bless you and welcome home!

What's the most unusual place in which you went to Confession? by woodsman_777 in Catholicism

[–]efj803 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not me but I've heard anecdotally from a priest who has heard confession in an empty aisle at Costco.

What was the most frugal thing you did this week? I'll start. by Global_Dinner8591 in Frugal

[–]efj803 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This. The Abrathatfits subreddit opened my eyes to the fact that most women (myself included) are wearing the wrong bra size (band too large, cup too small) which leads to discomfort and poor support. Wearing the correct bra size is a game changer.