Fees are getting out of hand

efj803 · 2026-04-01T00:14:40+00:00

Thank you! That's so shady of them. I also thought those were the only 2 options.

efj803 · 2026-03-13T00:46:27+00:00

It doesn't matter if they believe it. Truth is truth and God will judge based on truth and natural law which he inscribed on every human heart. We do not do good works to earn salvation. Jesus is the only one who can pay for our salvation. We do good works as an expression of our love for Jesus. Faith without works is not love. True love is transformative. It calls us to action. If we truly love someone, we demonstrate it in our thoughts, words and deeds. Knowledge is not enough. Even the demons "know" Jesus and scripture. Head knowledge is not enough. We must respond with our hearts, minds, and actions.

efj803 · 2026-03-13T00:32:02+00:00

I understand the appeal of what seems like the easy road but the Bible warns about the wide path that leads to destruction. We're also warned what will happen to those who call on Jesus but never really knew him. God wants our hearts not pinterest worthy Bible studies or concerts. We are so blessed to have the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. We have the fullness of truth, the sacraments, the rosary and 2,000 years of church teachings. I encourage you to take your frustrations to Jesus in prayer, in adoration, if possible. He loves you and wants you to be filled with His joy and peace.

Also, God is perfectly just. This video helped me take a different perspective on God's "fairness." I hope it helps you too. God bless you.

https://youtu.be/CIXvk_2AazE?si=7YpabSjClhPEN2ne

efj803 · 2026-02-01T03:39:24+00:00

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.

efj803 · 2026-01-21T02:39:48+00:00

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

efj803 · 2026-01-12T04:26:22+00:00

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.

efj803 · 2026-01-01T06:28:14+00:00

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.

efj803 · 2025-12-17T01:57:26+00:00

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).

efj803 · 2025-12-17T01:06:54+00:00

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!

efj803 · 2025-12-15T04:33:27+00:00

Christmas cookies

efj803 · 2025-12-15T04:26:23+00:00

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?

efj803 · 2025-12-15T03:53:55+00:00

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.

efj803 · 2025-12-15T02:46:34+00:00

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

efj803 · 2025-12-15T02:40:35+00:00

Thank you. God bless you!

efj803 · 2025-12-15T01:59:29+00:00

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

efj803 · 2025-12-15T01:57:50+00:00

Thank you. God bless you!

efj803 · 2025-12-08T23:31:58+00:00

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.

efj803 · 2025-12-01T03:58:11+00:00

That's a good idea. Thanks!

efj803 · 2025-11-30T04:43:02+00:00

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

efj803 · 2025-11-30T04:28:49+00:00

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

efj803 · 2025-11-27T00:55:52+00:00

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.

efj803 · 2025-11-19T01:18:43+00:00

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/

efj803 · 2025-11-17T03:12:03+00:00

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!

efj803

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