Sell All You Have

BEADS OF JOY 10-14-12 

“Sell All You Have”
©2012 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,

Today’s gospel can be looked upon as a very hard teaching indeed; but instead let us rather see it as a wakeup call. Many of us have possessions that we cherish, enjoy, and love to share with others; but with that said, we must realize that some of us may have possessions that we worship and cherish beyond what we may ever admit to. Today we find Jesus speaking to a man, who seems to be a man of wealth and possessions. Let us look at Mark 10:17-30 (Treasure In Heaven). While having nice things isn’t a bad thing; and while having much treasure in wealth is also not a bad thing, let us not lose sight of God who has blessed you with these things. Many people live this life thinking, “Look at what I have done, how wonderful and how smart I am.” That will be the beginning of a very bad direction for our thoughts to go. We must be in the right mindset with what this life is truly all about.

Let us consider thinking like this, here is a story to explain it: One day a man, happen to come upon a place where he saw God. He thought, "Wow, I see God." Well the man came over to God and God and turned and looked at the man and said, “I have been waiting for you.” This startled the man, but he gained his composure and asked, “Me? Why are you waiting for me?” God then said to the man, “To ask you for a few things.” This was something the man did not understand, but since he did believe in God, he was open to the thought of listening and learning about what God wanted to speak to him about. To begin with God said to the man, “I see you are living a comfortable life.” The man responded, “Yes, I have a good job, a healthy family and future that looks very promising.” God said, “I will ask for a few things before you leave me.” The man immediately said, “Yes Lord, what can I do for you.”

God said, “I want your home.” The man said, “Ok, you can have it.”
God said, “Do you have a wallet? I want that to.” The man reluctantly said, “Ok?”
God said, “I see you have a car, I want that.” The man said, “What? OK??”
God said, “Ah, a Most Blessed family.” The man jumped up and said, “What?? You want them to??” God responded immediately, “Yes I want them to!”
The man was shocked he sat back and said, “Lord you have taken everything that I have, everything that I own, everything that I possess, everyone that I love, leaving me with nothing??” God got real close to the man, put His arm around the man’s shoulder and pulled him in, whispering in his ear. “Take all these things I have asked from you, handle them with great care and respect them and continue to use them honoring me. Remember that all these things are mine first and always shall be, but I shall entrust them to you.” The man was now smiling ear to ear knowing that he had not lost one thing, he didn’t have to lose anything in order to love and worship God. This man did learn a great deal about what all these treasures in his life now meant to him.

God offers to each of us treasure, treasure beyond what the world could or would ever consider treasure. These blessings are priceless and these blessings are from Him, let us live a life free from pride and selfishness in these treasures, instead let us live our lives possessing them for His glory, honoring Him with them; knowing that they are and have always been His first. The treasures we must seek in this life should be the treasures that are from God alone. Never let anything in this life come between you and Him. This will be a most blessed legacy to pass onto your children and grandchildren; many generations will be blessed by the choices you make.

“Jesus, I Trust in You.”

Your Brother in Christ Jesus
and His Most Precious Mother Mary,
Jimmy (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

My Strength Found In Prayer

BEADS OF JOY 10-01-12 “My Strength Found In Prayer”
©2012 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,

As many of you know we have our share of families’ challenges. And of cause this economy wreaks havoc to no end on top of everything. But today I am writing a note to assure you; that in our prayerful community of our prayer ministry, I find such tremendous strength. That is why I try to keep it flowing 24/7 with an open invitation to all to join me. I pray that all of you to, like me, as you face the challenges find strength in our united prayers. Our family suffers with many tears from time to time; Chrissy don’t deserve what she is suffering with. Watching a beautiful, loving, caring mom become frail and weak before our eyes rips me apart inside. I would gladly take that cancer entirely from her lungs and jam it up in mine, and suffer for her, die need be it that be God’s will, just so she don’t have to suffer any more, ever again.

There aren’t any simple fixes to all these issues, our future path is unknown, and the outcome to so many of these issues could be devastating in their own right individually. But with that all said, know that my own personal TRUST and FAITH in my LORD is solid. I’ll correct that, it’s not just solid, it’s ROCK SOLID. Jesus alone gives me so much strength I can’t find enough words or expressions to share it to the level it rightfully deserves.

A quick little background will help you understand the gist of impact. In the past, the earlier year of our marriage and the bringing up our 5 kids was spectacular. I was in business with my dad, a 25% owner, I ran our business and my freedoms were tremendous. We had several cars, a summer home in Shohola, PA; and a brand new camper set up in a seasonal campsite in south Jersey (Port Republic, NJ), about 20 minutes out of Atlantic City. Money was never an issue; our weekend spending was beyond stupid. The money pit, even if it ran dry, always got refilled every single week. Put it this way, what I make weekly now, we use to just blow away on the weekends back then. Have you ever gone shopping and just swiped your card, and never thought for a second or even cared how much you just spent; well that’s how we use to live and spend back then. I wouldn’t say we were rich, per say; but the flow of cash was so steady that money was never ever an issue… like ever… J

God has taught me much about respecting what He has given me and my family. Back then we gave tremendously to our church and we often times helped others when they were struggling, that was always a normal part of our lives. Generosity was key, that’s why I get pissed off when I see wealthy families I clearly know who can afford to; stubbornly hoard their cash while they watch others struggle. God blesses us so that we can bless others.

Fast Forward……Now reality check, but so much thanksgiving as we struggle meeting our daily and monthly needs as a family. Chrissy’s health issues are front and center in our everyday choices and needs. Meeting her nutritional daily needs every single day is impossible and something we truly cannot maintain. She is supposed to be on a high protein diet. On top of that we have car challenges, computer challenges, food challenges and my hours at work changes way too much at times, and they are even decreasing as each week passes. No complaints and please no pity. Just facts, and the chance for me to share with all of you, how real we really are. Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts and a HUGE thank you for joining me in prayer as much as so many of you do. It’s the greatest gift you have given to me and my family.

I embrace poverty with a heart of love, I am ever thankful and grateful for the change; I'm not happy that Chrissy is suffering. The wounds that bind her, hurt me. I would die for her in a heart beat so that she wouldn't have to suffer any longer. All this worldly crap means nothing when the one you love so much is suffering. 

“Jesus, I Trust in You.”

Your Brother in Christ Jesus
and His Most Precious Mother Mary,
Jimmy (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS