"Beads of Joy" by RosaryManJim: Lent

BEADS OF JOY 04-13-19

“Lent – Day 34”

“Love Shared is Love Gained”

Lenten Season – Day 34

My Friends,

Today I am putting a little different twist on the blog. I have future plans for a series like this, but last night for whatever reason; I was thinking about my grandparents. So today I'd like to touch on the love they shared, the knowledge I gained and where so much of who I am is from them. Just to let you know, this is my mother's mom and dad. My grandma passed away many years ago, it crushed me, I loved her so much. All the cousins asked me to do the eulogy, omg; I cried and cried, that was so hard to do. And my grandpa, you all know him, his photos are in my album, he just passed away years ago also. These two people played such a dynamic role in my life, I don't know if they did all they did consciously; or it was just in their genes to be the way they were. One big thing I have learned is never think your role as a parent, or a grandparent or a friend or a sibling or whatever is not important, because it is. And I think the greatest wisdom I gained is that "knowing" that you know it is important allows you to "do it right" for everyone. You know what I mean. If your head is screwed on straight and you know your words will hurt or help, you'll always do the right thing. I miss my grandma and my grandpa.

Well, let me welcome everyone into my world again. It's not all that crowded, open all the doors, there's room. OK. I'll speak up so everybody can hear me. LOL, I'm crazy I know it. Let me tell you, I grew up in the school of ole ways. Family was everything, literally. Every single weekend growing up, if we weren't camping or traveling, we were at my grandparents’ house, my cousins, my aunt and uncles, you name it, we spent major time together growing up. I so miss them days, and all those wonderful people. Well my mom's parents’ house was common place for me. Gramps use to take me fishing and we'd go on the ham radio and me and grams use to chat and chat and chat and cook and she was the best. She introduced me to Our Lady when I was really young (my eyes are filling with tears as I type). She knew she just knew that I needed our Blessed Mother and Her Son in my life. She planted many precious seeds in my heart through the years, many that would grow for eternity. Please all you grandmas and grandpa's out there. PLEASE share our Lady with all your young grand kids. And do it in a private super special way, one that would be engraved in their hearts for future reference and future wonderful memories. Omg my heart fills with tears of sorrow and joy, grandma always told me how special Our Lady was to her. I think of that so often to this day.

My grandma used to have this HUGE Blessed Mother statue on her dresser, there was always prayer cards and rosaries and I remember even many dried out roses. I really remember that statue. She would always touch it as she walked by it. In detail I remember one of the earliest conversations, I have shared this before. She and I were in the living room, she called me over to her, and she was holding her rosary beads. She huddled me next to her, she was such a special loving grandma. I miss her so much. I wish my kids knew her. Back to the story: She brought me close to her, and asked me, "Do you know who the two most special women in my life are?" I don't remember answering, but I remember just looking into her eyes. She said, "my little sister Helen, and our Blessed Mother." I didn't know what to say. She then showed me her rosary beads, she told me she always prayed her rosary and talked to our Lady. I remember enough at the time, that I honestly didn't know exactly what she meant about all that stuff. I was an altar boy back then, but we weren't at that time a really religious family in any way. But grandma knew just knew she had to plant the seeds. At her funeral I noticed she wasn't holding her rosary beads. I cried so much, I put mine in her hands. I remember saying, "she has to have her rosary beads when she sees our lady." Please grandma's we need more grandmas like mine out there, and I know many of you are... THANK YOU. That part of her is so engraved in who I am today. She loved our Lady so much, like I do. It's incredible.

Now let me tell you about my Grandpa. He is so cool; I love this guy. In the Navy he was a boxer, so he was tough, but incredibly loving. He worked for over 40 years at P&G as a welder. I am so proud of him. He is super smart his whole life, even into his 90’s, when it comes to any kind of math. He even challenged my Charlie (my youngest), 2 weeks before he died. And growing up every one of us grandkids knew our multiplication and division by heart, if we didn't know it when asked; we had us write it out ten times while we were visiting... I know; omg. But I got to tell you, when us cousins talk about the olden days and we look back and see that as a fond memory, really, we do. Grandpa wanted all of us to be good in math, he always said, we need to know it in everything we do, because math is at work and at home in everything. He was right, just think about it. I miss the days I used to spend time with him. We used to go fishing ALOT! Grandpa use to treat me to breakfast before we went fishing. We'd talk about what we were going to do; and school and that I would be going to college. Right. LOL. He'd tell me all the rules so I wouldn't get hurt or lost in the dark by the beach. Once we got to the beach, he'd help me with the "waiters" that's the long boots/pants you wear so we can walk far into the water and fish, they were so cool, he always had a pair my size. I really miss him now. When I was over the road driving a tractor-trailer for a year, every couple weeks I’d send him a “fishing” postcard from whatever state I was in and I’d write, “I love you so much.”, “I miss you with all my heart.”, “I am so proud you are my grandpa.” He and I talked on the phone every once in a while, when I was out there, he told me, he loved all the postcards, and he even put them up on the wall... That is so cool!!

My goal here today is that you are thinking of your own wonderful memories, or the wonderful memories you'd like to give your grand kids and your kids or your nieces and nephews. Sometimes just sharing one’s own love for their own family, allows others to gain from it, as well as I do. Please take this message, capture it in your heart, and share its core (LOVE) with everybody. Engrave your love for them into their hearts. It'll last for eternity; I promise you it will.

Today's Challenge: To be that loving parent, grandparent, sister, brother, friend. And always be that person to everybody. Build memories with LOVE. Live the life of J.O.Y. more fully: Jesus – First / Others – Second / You – Last ...

Grandparents Song - I Learned to Love

LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!

Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

Today is Saturday: We pray the Joyful Mysteries:

The Joyful Mysteries

1. The Annunciation (Humility) – Luke 1:26-28
2. The Visitation (Love of Neighbor) – Luke 1:39-45
3. The Birth of Jesus (Poverty of Spirit) – Luke 2:1-20
4. The Presentation (Purity of Mind & Spirit) – Luke 2:22-38
5. Finding in The Temple (Obedience) –Luke 2:41-50

I simply love Saturday mornings, because Saturday like every other day of the week -begins with the Rosary.