Beads of Joy 05-18-10
Jesus - Heart of Hope
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Heart of Jesus 2/5
Hello Everyone,
Today we are going to reflect on something I know many of us can say, that little by little in our world we feel we are losing: our hope. It's so easy to fall into all the sorrow that is around us, all the negative thoughts that get us down. We have challenges in our country that seem to tear away any possible hope for keeping our freedom and our liberty here in America. Then we look around the world and see war and violence and hatred. It's like we have been violated and striped of all our hope. The one thing that all of these worldly events has shown us, is that we must keep our hope only in Jesus. And our hope must be in possessing Him in our lives, fully; completely letting go of anything that keeps us away from Him. The only way to really appreciate this is by turning to scripture, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:13.
What is hope? I know we all pretty much understand the meaning of hope. But I see it like this. Hope is a part of us looking out into the future, trying to figure out a scenario, or an event or the result of an event that would best suit our dreams and desires. "I sure hope it's sunny out Saturday, when we go to the beach.", "Wouldn't be nice if this was a winning lottery ticket, I hope it is.", "I hope I get out of work early today, it'll give us a chance to head out early tonight." Hope! See how easily we entwine hope into our daily lives. But what is hope? What is the spiritual foundation of having hope? Wouldn't it be wise to place all our hope in Him, Him who we call Jesus, the one we acknowledge as Lord. We can look at hope the same way I just described it to you. "We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 1:3
So now let's take a look at hope from a whole new vantage point. From the heart of Jesus; and see how it reflects into our hearts so that our hope is in Him. "And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today." Acts 26:6, wow, does that one hit home today for all of us right now, with all the trials and suffering we are feeling as a family. And check this one out, this scripture says what we have been saying, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:5, Jesus Christ wants us to keep all our hope in Him. Do you feel the excitement build up? Do you sense the Joy that is starting to overflow because we are looking at Him this way? "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12. What do you hope for? How do you feel about that feeling of hope in your heart? Hope can be a wonderful thing, as long as we hope for what is good and what is God in our lives.
Let's face the truth, we can not control, or change, or manage future events. God only knows the outcome of all things. But with that being said: Do we not hope that Jesus forgives us? Do we not hope that Heaven is as beautiful as we believe it is? Do we not hope we can stay as true to Jesus as possible without sinning so much? Hope in His return to us, hope in His love for us, hope fills our heart as we worship and praise His holy name. Jesus Christ should be the hope in all that we plan, all that we do, and all that matters to us. Hoping and praying that our lives are in line with His will for us. I find so much hope in Romans, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15;13. And here is a final thought to sum up hope, "let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.." Hebrews 10:22-24.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Jesus - Heart of Faith
Beads of Joy 05-17-10
Jesus -Heart of Faith
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Heart of Jesus 1/5
Hello Everyone,
Some of you might be wondering about this title. Well this weeks theme is "The Heart of Jesus" and the sub-title is: "The Heart of Jesus who dwells inside each of us." Ah, now this all makes sense. We all know Jesus had faith, He was faith, He is our faith. For our faith is in Him, and all that He has done for us is cherished in our hearts. Now how can we reflect on how alive our faith has become while we live a life that is in reflection to His? If you look through scripture for reflection on this to learn about the faith that is in the heart of Jesus; you will find that Jesus had a way of drawing the faith of others in Him to Himself. We must learn by example that our faith and trust is in Him; it is our faith and trust that keep us strong during difficult times, and charitable during good times. But good or bad, challenging or rewarding, our faith must stay strong and continue to sail straight.
Here are some scriptural reflections that really emphasis how our faith is brought out in Jesus' presence. "When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him,"I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." Matthew 8:10 and, "Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour." Matthew 15:28. We all know there is something extremely special about Jesus that brings us to our knees and our pride is teared away; and we openly acknowledge our faith and trust in Him alone. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and our sincere deep love for Him, many of us find it so easy and so natural to have such great faith in such a powerful, awesome, loving God. Our faith needs to be our cornerstone, our rock so that we always remain on firm ground as the challenges in life hit us. For without faith, the true meaning of life ceases to have point or purpose. We live not for us, but rather for Him who works through us. In our surrender to Him, He builds us up and encourages us to forge forward in our lives, no matter what the challenge is.
Obviously the faith Jesus has is perfect, and we well know that our Blessed Mother's faith had to be perfect in order for her to so willingly follow God's will. How can we live such a life of faith? I know it's not easy, and life does throw you curves and hard balls straight at your heart and head when you're not looking. And sometimes when we get hit, it hurts beyond anything we think could happen to us in our lives. So what do we do about that? Do we wallow in the misery of it all? Do we blame Jesus or God or anyone else? Do we not even care so much that our reaction is zilch? There is only one way to maintain such a fervent prayer life and faith based life, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2. I always prefer to reflect on scripture, to me it is the a huge part of my rock solid faith, the very word of God.
Jesus Christ needs to be thee most significant part of who you are. We need to live a life where we really truly with all our hearts trust Him with our hearts and lives. Can you have that kind of faith inside of you? Can you close your eyes and move forward trusting that God will direct you safely, or at least understand that sometimes there is purpose beyond our own understanding when we are faced with trials, disappointments and fear. God only knows why we have to deal with such heart-wrenching pain. Some people, many faithful people have had some significantly hard trials to endure in their lives. Our Blessed Mother, and the apostles, and so many others who followed Jesus when He was lead to the cross, endured pain, pain we can't possibly imagine. Yes our faith helps us to understand and we even feel hurt and sad; but can you imagine being right there in the midst of such violent anger towards a man, who is God that we love so much? It's really hard to fully comprehend. Let us keep the faith as life moves onward, bringing us closer to Him.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Jesus -Heart of Faith
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Heart of Jesus 1/5
Hello Everyone,
Some of you might be wondering about this title. Well this weeks theme is "The Heart of Jesus" and the sub-title is: "The Heart of Jesus who dwells inside each of us." Ah, now this all makes sense. We all know Jesus had faith, He was faith, He is our faith. For our faith is in Him, and all that He has done for us is cherished in our hearts. Now how can we reflect on how alive our faith has become while we live a life that is in reflection to His? If you look through scripture for reflection on this to learn about the faith that is in the heart of Jesus; you will find that Jesus had a way of drawing the faith of others in Him to Himself. We must learn by example that our faith and trust is in Him; it is our faith and trust that keep us strong during difficult times, and charitable during good times. But good or bad, challenging or rewarding, our faith must stay strong and continue to sail straight.
Here are some scriptural reflections that really emphasis how our faith is brought out in Jesus' presence. "When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him,"I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." Matthew 8:10 and, "Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour." Matthew 15:28. We all know there is something extremely special about Jesus that brings us to our knees and our pride is teared away; and we openly acknowledge our faith and trust in Him alone. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and our sincere deep love for Him, many of us find it so easy and so natural to have such great faith in such a powerful, awesome, loving God. Our faith needs to be our cornerstone, our rock so that we always remain on firm ground as the challenges in life hit us. For without faith, the true meaning of life ceases to have point or purpose. We live not for us, but rather for Him who works through us. In our surrender to Him, He builds us up and encourages us to forge forward in our lives, no matter what the challenge is.
Obviously the faith Jesus has is perfect, and we well know that our Blessed Mother's faith had to be perfect in order for her to so willingly follow God's will. How can we live such a life of faith? I know it's not easy, and life does throw you curves and hard balls straight at your heart and head when you're not looking. And sometimes when we get hit, it hurts beyond anything we think could happen to us in our lives. So what do we do about that? Do we wallow in the misery of it all? Do we blame Jesus or God or anyone else? Do we not even care so much that our reaction is zilch? There is only one way to maintain such a fervent prayer life and faith based life, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2. I always prefer to reflect on scripture, to me it is the a huge part of my rock solid faith, the very word of God.
Jesus Christ needs to be thee most significant part of who you are. We need to live a life where we really truly with all our hearts trust Him with our hearts and lives. Can you have that kind of faith inside of you? Can you close your eyes and move forward trusting that God will direct you safely, or at least understand that sometimes there is purpose beyond our own understanding when we are faced with trials, disappointments and fear. God only knows why we have to deal with such heart-wrenching pain. Some people, many faithful people have had some significantly hard trials to endure in their lives. Our Blessed Mother, and the apostles, and so many others who followed Jesus when He was lead to the cross, endured pain, pain we can't possibly imagine. Yes our faith helps us to understand and we even feel hurt and sad; but can you imagine being right there in the midst of such violent anger towards a man, who is God that we love so much? It's really hard to fully comprehend. Let us keep the faith as life moves onward, bringing us closer to Him.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Jesus - Strengthens Me
Beads of Joy 05-16-10
Jesus - Strengthens Me
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
This has been a very long week for me and my family, more specifically Chrissy. One very dear friend "Jan" has noticed a different tone in my blog, she says they are more compassionate and loving. I think she hit the nail right on the head with how I have been feeling lately; plus I was only getting maybe 3-4 hours sleep each day, so Chrissy can sleep in more. Look, no matter how many challenges are in a relationship, or how different you may think you feel, and you maybe even feel that it isn't going to work anymore. One thing that equalizes everything, is the looming of "death" over everything. I see that I tend to be more protective and much more forgiving now; and we still have no clue what is going on in Chrissy's lungs right now. She didn't sound good at all yesterday; she was having challenges breathing, for crying out loud. So this upcoming week maybe even more challenging. So I am not ceasing in my prayers, nor shall I stop humbling myself to my Lord offering my life as a sacrifice to save hers. I don't do that with pride, but with a commitment I made 23 years ago (this past May 2nd) before God. So you see where I am at.
My life is a very simple one, but I have this instilled desire inside of me to keep as busy and as productive as I possible can. I have been this way for years. So I multi-task many many projects and activities all at once. Let me give you all a good idea of the true size and depth of my plate, one that I embrace and enjoy. Well for starters most know I work full time; pretty much consuming my Mon-Fri ride, and I drive an average 500 miles a night. On top of that I spend time in prayer (lots of time), it's the single most important activity in my life, for without it I would not be able to do all these things. Then I have my daily blog (many hours of bible study research), one that I feel allows me to share and hopefully draw others to Jesus and His most Blessed Mother. Then I have so many writing book projects in motion that there are too many to name them all. There are 3 alone that are being done for the sole purpose of giving 100% of the profit to someone else, I am writing about 90% of the books and 10% will be done by the benefiting churches and shrine. Plus I am working on one that is from me personally called "Decades of Beads", a sorts bio of the Rosary Man. I'm not even gonna talk about my 2 sci-fi (movie style) books I got almost done. LOL. One I started back in 1982, spoke to Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg about it then, but only started back working on it recently last year.. Still other projects I am working one, one is a play, yes I said a play. A play all about the rosary, but not about the rosary. So are you exhausted yet reading this...LOL
Now don't take a break yet, I'm not done, I can't I don't have time for one yet. On top of those writing projects and work. I have just this past week got myself started in a homebased business. Yes that's what I just said, and I know you must think I am crazy. Well I won't argue with you there, but there is a method to all this madness. I have been working on so many of these writing and creating projects for so many years, and they do take years, and I knew that when I started. But Now I am getting closer to age I have been planning, and that's in five years, yes 50. My inevitable goal is to be a published writer of many books, working from home, writing books from home, and travelling throughout the United States, sharing Jesus and Mary and the Rosary, by way of being a speaker. And I want to speak for free. My only deep rooted objective is to increase the amount of people that follow Jesus. I want everyone to be saved. I know that maybe impossible for one person to do, especially for me. But with God and Jesus who strengthen me, I will gain as many souls as God allows me to touch by His grace. And I will do that till the day I die.
So did that paragraph tire you out any? And in the end, my goals sincerely have nothing to do with me, which I believe are the best kind of goals anyone can have. You know I even have a TV show layed out for EWTN, that will take some money to get started, which I don't have. But I know in my heart one day Jesus, if it be in His will, He will open the door for that idea. I shared that with only 2 other people in my life. Its a show that will bring our praying America to one another living rooms, making it real, keeping it simple and exciting the thought of prayer to all those who watch it. I don't want to give it all away just yet. LOL. So on top of all these things, and I know I forget to mention a whole bunch of other things I am doing; Chrissy is very sick now, and we have no clue where her health is going. So I must forge forward, give her whatever space she needs and whatever stuff she'll need so we can get her better. She takes front stage priority, no doubt. But I honestly do not stop any of the projects I am working on, which in the end will also benefit our children. So what keeps me going? you ask. My love, devotion and desire to serve Jesus everyday. And I get to speak with His Beautiful Mother when I pray my rosary everyday. It's the Joy of my faith. The Joy I always speak of, that's the drive inside me. Now if I can only bottle it up and sell it. LOL
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Jesus - Strengthens Me
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
This has been a very long week for me and my family, more specifically Chrissy. One very dear friend "Jan" has noticed a different tone in my blog, she says they are more compassionate and loving. I think she hit the nail right on the head with how I have been feeling lately; plus I was only getting maybe 3-4 hours sleep each day, so Chrissy can sleep in more. Look, no matter how many challenges are in a relationship, or how different you may think you feel, and you maybe even feel that it isn't going to work anymore. One thing that equalizes everything, is the looming of "death" over everything. I see that I tend to be more protective and much more forgiving now; and we still have no clue what is going on in Chrissy's lungs right now. She didn't sound good at all yesterday; she was having challenges breathing, for crying out loud. So this upcoming week maybe even more challenging. So I am not ceasing in my prayers, nor shall I stop humbling myself to my Lord offering my life as a sacrifice to save hers. I don't do that with pride, but with a commitment I made 23 years ago (this past May 2nd) before God. So you see where I am at.
My life is a very simple one, but I have this instilled desire inside of me to keep as busy and as productive as I possible can. I have been this way for years. So I multi-task many many projects and activities all at once. Let me give you all a good idea of the true size and depth of my plate, one that I embrace and enjoy. Well for starters most know I work full time; pretty much consuming my Mon-Fri ride, and I drive an average 500 miles a night. On top of that I spend time in prayer (lots of time), it's the single most important activity in my life, for without it I would not be able to do all these things. Then I have my daily blog (many hours of bible study research), one that I feel allows me to share and hopefully draw others to Jesus and His most Blessed Mother. Then I have so many writing book projects in motion that there are too many to name them all. There are 3 alone that are being done for the sole purpose of giving 100% of the profit to someone else, I am writing about 90% of the books and 10% will be done by the benefiting churches and shrine. Plus I am working on one that is from me personally called "Decades of Beads", a sorts bio of the Rosary Man. I'm not even gonna talk about my 2 sci-fi (movie style) books I got almost done. LOL. One I started back in 1982, spoke to Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg about it then, but only started back working on it recently last year.. Still other projects I am working one, one is a play, yes I said a play. A play all about the rosary, but not about the rosary. So are you exhausted yet reading this...LOL
Now don't take a break yet, I'm not done, I can't I don't have time for one yet. On top of those writing projects and work. I have just this past week got myself started in a homebased business. Yes that's what I just said, and I know you must think I am crazy. Well I won't argue with you there, but there is a method to all this madness. I have been working on so many of these writing and creating projects for so many years, and they do take years, and I knew that when I started. But Now I am getting closer to age I have been planning, and that's in five years, yes 50. My inevitable goal is to be a published writer of many books, working from home, writing books from home, and travelling throughout the United States, sharing Jesus and Mary and the Rosary, by way of being a speaker. And I want to speak for free. My only deep rooted objective is to increase the amount of people that follow Jesus. I want everyone to be saved. I know that maybe impossible for one person to do, especially for me. But with God and Jesus who strengthen me, I will gain as many souls as God allows me to touch by His grace. And I will do that till the day I die.
So did that paragraph tire you out any? And in the end, my goals sincerely have nothing to do with me, which I believe are the best kind of goals anyone can have. You know I even have a TV show layed out for EWTN, that will take some money to get started, which I don't have. But I know in my heart one day Jesus, if it be in His will, He will open the door for that idea. I shared that with only 2 other people in my life. Its a show that will bring our praying America to one another living rooms, making it real, keeping it simple and exciting the thought of prayer to all those who watch it. I don't want to give it all away just yet. LOL. So on top of all these things, and I know I forget to mention a whole bunch of other things I am doing; Chrissy is very sick now, and we have no clue where her health is going. So I must forge forward, give her whatever space she needs and whatever stuff she'll need so we can get her better. She takes front stage priority, no doubt. But I honestly do not stop any of the projects I am working on, which in the end will also benefit our children. So what keeps me going? you ask. My love, devotion and desire to serve Jesus everyday. And I get to speak with His Beautiful Mother when I pray my rosary everyday. It's the Joy of my faith. The Joy I always speak of, that's the drive inside me. Now if I can only bottle it up and sell it. LOL
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Ann Edwards (my God-Mother)
Beads of Joy 05-15-10
Dedication Days - Ann Edwards (my God-mother)
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Dedication Days
Hello Everyone,
I'd like to introduce everyone to Ann Edwards: My Aunt Annie, my mother's younger sister, and my God-Mother. She is indeed my God-Mother, it was Aunt Annie who brought her love for Jesus from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Staten Island, getting my mom involved, hence I got to experience Jesus. It's so beautiful the way God chooses to work His Will in our lives. Well growing up, my God-Mother was always my favorite aunt. She was always fun, she always always always smiling, obviously making you smile every time you were looking at her. After she got married not to long after that she and my uncle moved to Oklahoma where his family was. He is an American Indian, so his family was big and they had a huge ranch. We visited them a couple times growing up. They didn't live on the ranch, in fact to this day the name of her street is still easy to remember, Ann Drive. LOL. Well a couple years past, we visited them, they visited us, we always cried when we had to leave or they had to leave. Oh did I miss her since she moved to Oklahoma. I use to sit and chat with her about anything all the time. She was like my stand in mom, when I needed an instant one. LOL. I later found out my aunt use to tell my mom all the details of our chats. She was happy I confided in her sister.
Well after living out there for so many years, she started facing some serious challenges, and eventually she got divorced. So what would be the next natural step? Bring her home, here... Well that took a little time, between my parents and my grandma and grandpa (her mom & dad). They brought her and the kids home. And my grandparents took them right into their home. They stayed there for a couple years till my aunt got on her feet to take care of her three kids. I was so happy that she was back. She worked at the bank her whole time after her return, she eventually became a manager. I use to visit her and spend time with her just like before; and just like before I use to talk to her about everything. And of cause she told my mom everything. I just always adored my precious Aunt Annie. Her heart was always full of love for others, giving of herself to anyone in need of a shoulder or an ear. She was always struggling through her life, yet she always found in her heart a place to help others. I admire that greatly.
Upon her return I later found out that she recruited my mom to go to prayer groups with her. Aunt Annie use to always attend them when she was in Oklahoma. I later found out that she was part of a pretty big group out there, and she had a huge group of friends in her fellowship. She loved Jesus way more than I ever really knew. My mom use to tell me all the stories she use to share at the prayer group. At that time I still hadn't gone to my first prayer group yet. I only listened because it was about my Aunt Annie. LOL. So her and my mom were really getting into Jesus and I couldn't understand for the life of me, why? I also learned about her love for our Blessed Mother. But I can easily understand her draw to her. Her mom was the grandma I told you about, who adored our Blessed Mother and she use to always tell me how much she loved her. So loving Mary is in our family. It's in our genes... LOL
Many years later, I had been married (we had only 3 kids at the time) and I was in business with my dad. This was in the early 90's, we were still living on Staten Island in New Springville. Aunt Annie ended up getting really sick and she was having all sorts of breathing problems, well inevitably they found out that she had lung cancer. Such a sad time for our family. Soon she was to be hospitalized, and I remember over hearing my family and the doctors say this will make her comfortable, I was so happy to hear that. Little did I know what that eventually really meant. This hospital was not on my way to work. But I made sure every single morning on my way to work I would stop in, sit with her, talk to her, pray with her. Eventually she couldn't talk anymore, and she had a tube in her mouth and all your heard was her wheezing. It was so loud it heard it down the hall as you approached her room. This went on for a couple weeks. Even when she couldn't talk, I was there by her side, holding her hand talking to her, praying with and for her. Well that unforgettable day came. As I was coming down the hall I didn't hear her wheezing, I immediately though, "Oh thank God, she is breathing normal again." As I turned into her room, my cousin Sharon (her daughter) was next to her in tears. All the tubes were out and she looked so peaceful. I didn't even realize, I thought she was asleep, the room was slightly dark. I commented to my cousin, "At least she's not wheezing today, she looks so peaceful." Sharon looked at me crying saying, "Jim, my mom passed away a little while ago." Oh no, that was all she had to say. I was crushed. I cried all the way to work that day, and many times after that. My Aunt Annie, who I have always loved and became even more attached to was gone. I need not tell you how this affected me, as do all those I love. I always think of her, I even talk her sometimes. She was a very special, loving, giving, child of God. And she loved Mary and the Rosary. A legacy I embrace from her.
Today I salute you: Aunt Annie
I miss her so much, I always adored her.
You are always in my heart and always in my prayers.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Dedication Days - Ann Edwards (my God-mother)
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Dedication Days
Hello Everyone,
I'd like to introduce everyone to Ann Edwards: My Aunt Annie, my mother's younger sister, and my God-Mother. She is indeed my God-Mother, it was Aunt Annie who brought her love for Jesus from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Staten Island, getting my mom involved, hence I got to experience Jesus. It's so beautiful the way God chooses to work His Will in our lives. Well growing up, my God-Mother was always my favorite aunt. She was always fun, she always always always smiling, obviously making you smile every time you were looking at her. After she got married not to long after that she and my uncle moved to Oklahoma where his family was. He is an American Indian, so his family was big and they had a huge ranch. We visited them a couple times growing up. They didn't live on the ranch, in fact to this day the name of her street is still easy to remember, Ann Drive. LOL. Well a couple years past, we visited them, they visited us, we always cried when we had to leave or they had to leave. Oh did I miss her since she moved to Oklahoma. I use to sit and chat with her about anything all the time. She was like my stand in mom, when I needed an instant one. LOL. I later found out my aunt use to tell my mom all the details of our chats. She was happy I confided in her sister.
Well after living out there for so many years, she started facing some serious challenges, and eventually she got divorced. So what would be the next natural step? Bring her home, here... Well that took a little time, between my parents and my grandma and grandpa (her mom & dad). They brought her and the kids home. And my grandparents took them right into their home. They stayed there for a couple years till my aunt got on her feet to take care of her three kids. I was so happy that she was back. She worked at the bank her whole time after her return, she eventually became a manager. I use to visit her and spend time with her just like before; and just like before I use to talk to her about everything. And of cause she told my mom everything. I just always adored my precious Aunt Annie. Her heart was always full of love for others, giving of herself to anyone in need of a shoulder or an ear. She was always struggling through her life, yet she always found in her heart a place to help others. I admire that greatly.
Upon her return I later found out that she recruited my mom to go to prayer groups with her. Aunt Annie use to always attend them when she was in Oklahoma. I later found out that she was part of a pretty big group out there, and she had a huge group of friends in her fellowship. She loved Jesus way more than I ever really knew. My mom use to tell me all the stories she use to share at the prayer group. At that time I still hadn't gone to my first prayer group yet. I only listened because it was about my Aunt Annie. LOL. So her and my mom were really getting into Jesus and I couldn't understand for the life of me, why? I also learned about her love for our Blessed Mother. But I can easily understand her draw to her. Her mom was the grandma I told you about, who adored our Blessed Mother and she use to always tell me how much she loved her. So loving Mary is in our family. It's in our genes... LOL
Many years later, I had been married (we had only 3 kids at the time) and I was in business with my dad. This was in the early 90's, we were still living on Staten Island in New Springville. Aunt Annie ended up getting really sick and she was having all sorts of breathing problems, well inevitably they found out that she had lung cancer. Such a sad time for our family. Soon she was to be hospitalized, and I remember over hearing my family and the doctors say this will make her comfortable, I was so happy to hear that. Little did I know what that eventually really meant. This hospital was not on my way to work. But I made sure every single morning on my way to work I would stop in, sit with her, talk to her, pray with her. Eventually she couldn't talk anymore, and she had a tube in her mouth and all your heard was her wheezing. It was so loud it heard it down the hall as you approached her room. This went on for a couple weeks. Even when she couldn't talk, I was there by her side, holding her hand talking to her, praying with and for her. Well that unforgettable day came. As I was coming down the hall I didn't hear her wheezing, I immediately though, "Oh thank God, she is breathing normal again." As I turned into her room, my cousin Sharon (her daughter) was next to her in tears. All the tubes were out and she looked so peaceful. I didn't even realize, I thought she was asleep, the room was slightly dark. I commented to my cousin, "At least she's not wheezing today, she looks so peaceful." Sharon looked at me crying saying, "Jim, my mom passed away a little while ago." Oh no, that was all she had to say. I was crushed. I cried all the way to work that day, and many times after that. My Aunt Annie, who I have always loved and became even more attached to was gone. I need not tell you how this affected me, as do all those I love. I always think of her, I even talk her sometimes. She was a very special, loving, giving, child of God. And she loved Mary and the Rosary. A legacy I embrace from her.
Today I salute you: Aunt Annie
I miss her so much, I always adored her.
You are always in my heart and always in my prayers.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Friday, May 14, 2010
My Little "Beads of Joy"
Beads of Joy 05-14-10
My Little "Beads of Joy"
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
Oh the joy I find in these little beads. No I don't worship the beads, and I don't worship Our Blessed Mother. I adore and love and worship Jesus with all my heart with these little beads of joy. I am so grateful that our Blessed Mother touched my heart back in 1983 at my first prayer meeting. I have told this story before, but her statue (the one we always see of her in her blue dress) was up high on a shelf. I don't know what made me look up there. But the instance I seen her so far out of view, I just knew that wasn't right; she needed to be with us at our prayer meeting. And almost instantly I was drawn to asking her for intercession prayer to her Son through the Rosary. I can't fully explain it, she captured my heart, and I became head over heels in love with her for what she has done for all of us.
My little "Beads of Joy".
You know what it is, I find such comfort in the rosary, I really do. Along with faith, hope and charity, I experience a deep lasting happiness in my heart, it's a very fulfilling feeling. There isn't anything in this world (possession wise), except my bible that gives me such happiness by just holding it. I know what it's purpose is, I know how to use them. LOL. I have a license to pray. In fact we all do, just some people are afraid to get behind the wheel and follow the GPS (God's Prayer Satellite). LOL. I enjoy praying while I drive, I speak out loud, and proud, as if Jesus or God Himself were sitting right next to me. I'm sure they are saying, "You don't have to yell, I'm right here, next to you." LOL.
My little "Beads of Joy".
Another spectacular feeling I get with my rosary is a sense of security. I'm sure some of you know what I mean. Even though our country is going Marxist and we have a dictator trying to act like he's not a dictator. I find a certain sense of security in my rosary, even if we all have to have chips embedded in our brains and we have to all wear matching clothes and act like robots. LOL, Ok so I am going overboard with this crazy thing.. You're right, but I'm just having some fun, it is Friday you know. LOL. No matter how much our America goes away (I shed a tear thinking that). I know in my heart they can't take away my rosary. Yes they can take the beads, but what's in my heart can't be taken.
My little "Beads of Joy".
It don't stop there the Joy, the Joy is endless. And I mean sincere deep lasting Joy. Joy that can only come from God. And that Joy is perfect Joy. It's perfect Joy that casts out all fear.. No, I know. LOL. It's perfect love that casts out all fear, and in the Rosary, there is also perfect Love, a love that one can never receive from anyone other than Jesus. There is so much love and joy and peace and happiness in those tiny little beads. There's no way I could go through my life without having them in my life. I pray that everyone embraces and loves the Rosary as much as I do, if not more than I do. To me they always shall be:
My little "Beads of Joy".
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
My Little "Beads of Joy"
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
Oh the joy I find in these little beads. No I don't worship the beads, and I don't worship Our Blessed Mother. I adore and love and worship Jesus with all my heart with these little beads of joy. I am so grateful that our Blessed Mother touched my heart back in 1983 at my first prayer meeting. I have told this story before, but her statue (the one we always see of her in her blue dress) was up high on a shelf. I don't know what made me look up there. But the instance I seen her so far out of view, I just knew that wasn't right; she needed to be with us at our prayer meeting. And almost instantly I was drawn to asking her for intercession prayer to her Son through the Rosary. I can't fully explain it, she captured my heart, and I became head over heels in love with her for what she has done for all of us.
My little "Beads of Joy".
You know what it is, I find such comfort in the rosary, I really do. Along with faith, hope and charity, I experience a deep lasting happiness in my heart, it's a very fulfilling feeling. There isn't anything in this world (possession wise), except my bible that gives me such happiness by just holding it. I know what it's purpose is, I know how to use them. LOL. I have a license to pray. In fact we all do, just some people are afraid to get behind the wheel and follow the GPS (God's Prayer Satellite). LOL. I enjoy praying while I drive, I speak out loud, and proud, as if Jesus or God Himself were sitting right next to me. I'm sure they are saying, "You don't have to yell, I'm right here, next to you." LOL.
My little "Beads of Joy".
Another spectacular feeling I get with my rosary is a sense of security. I'm sure some of you know what I mean. Even though our country is going Marxist and we have a dictator trying to act like he's not a dictator. I find a certain sense of security in my rosary, even if we all have to have chips embedded in our brains and we have to all wear matching clothes and act like robots. LOL, Ok so I am going overboard with this crazy thing.. You're right, but I'm just having some fun, it is Friday you know. LOL. No matter how much our America goes away (I shed a tear thinking that). I know in my heart they can't take away my rosary. Yes they can take the beads, but what's in my heart can't be taken.
My little "Beads of Joy".
It don't stop there the Joy, the Joy is endless. And I mean sincere deep lasting Joy. Joy that can only come from God. And that Joy is perfect Joy. It's perfect Joy that casts out all fear.. No, I know. LOL. It's perfect love that casts out all fear, and in the Rosary, there is also perfect Love, a love that one can never receive from anyone other than Jesus. There is so much love and joy and peace and happiness in those tiny little beads. There's no way I could go through my life without having them in my life. I pray that everyone embraces and loves the Rosary as much as I do, if not more than I do. To me they always shall be:
My little "Beads of Joy".
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Embrace & Wear Your Rosary
Beads of Joy 05-13-10
Embrace & Wear Your Rosary
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
There is something extremely special about the rosary and it can't be explained in such a way that everyone can understand, but by saying that I know many of you do. In every ones life there needs to be a very special joy. The joy I embrace in the Rosary can't be fully explained, or at least off the top of my head, I can't come up with a quick explanation; except that our Blessed Mother's love is embedded in every single one of those beads. Jesus is so alive in them precious mysteries; that in some way the Rosary comes to life every single time I embrace my beads. Back when I made my first mission bead in 1989 I started "wearing" my mission beads around my neck. My choice to wear it was two fold. First and foremost was so that I would always have a set of rosary beads on me because I pray the rosary so much; and second so that it would invoke conversation or at least curiosity. And believe me to this day twenty-one years later both of those needs still get met when I wear my beads. And I still wear the very first mission beads I made properly.
I invite all of you, (though I know so many of you already do) to embrace the Rosary and make it become part of your prayer life. The rosary is all about Jesus, His life, His Ministry. There is something about those beads that just holding them gives me such contentment. In my life I have enjoyed and embraced those beads so much; that I have to say in all honesty and with the fullest of heart, that beyond those beads, aside from my bible, I don't need or desire anything at all. I mean that, life is so complete with the Rosary in your life. Jesus is the center, and Mary is in union with us. And with that we also have the indwelt Holy Spirit inside us guiding us and drawing us closer to Jesus. I can remember back when I fell in love with my rosary prayers. I would be praying my rosary literally anywhere and everywhere. I mean that. As the spirit lead many a times on my way home from work, I'd just pull over to the side of the road, and be fully focused on a decade or even a full rosary. I use to take breaks at work, when I was in business and find a quiet place and pray a full rosary (I use to do that a lot). Please understand I still do these things, but just in a different capacity. See now in my life, the rosary is truly alive every single day. I challenge you.
I know many of you personally and I know that you pray your rosary often. So I send this challenge out to those who don't and also those who already do. "Increase your rosary prayer life." Add decades, add full mysteries, spontaneously pray, plan prayers, unite with others, commit to text and begin with someone no matter where they live. It'll be like you put a case of fireworks into your prayer life. It will indeed come alive and the more you do this, the more you will want it, and the more it will become part of your everyday with Jesus in the Rosary. The biggest first step is to make sure you always have your Rosary Beads with you, no matter where you go. That's why I wear mine. As I get dressed for work, or Mass, or wherever we are going, putting my Rosary Beads on is just a normal part of all that to me.
This is an exerpt from "The Secrets of The Rosary"
The 8th Rose
"Our Lady blesses not only those who preach her Rosary, but she highly rewards all those who get others to say it by their example.
Alphonsus, King of Leon and Galicia, very much wanted all his servants to honor the Blessed Virgin by saying the Rosary. So he used to hang a large rosary on his belt and always wore it, but unfortunately never said it himself. Nevertheless his wearing it encouraged his courtiers to say the Rosary very devoutly.
One day the King fell seriously ill and when he was given up for dead he found himself, in a vision, before the judgement seat of Our Lord. Many devils were there accusing him of all the sins he had committed and Our Lord as Sovereign Judge was just about to condemn him to hell when Our Lady appeared to intercede for him. She called for a pair of scales and had his sins placed in one of the balances whereas she put the rosary that he had always worn on the other scale, together with all the Rosaries that had been said because of his example. It was found that the Rosaries weighed more than his sins.
Looking at him with great kindness Our Lady said: "As a reward for this little honor that you paid me in wearing my Rosary, I have obtained a great grace for you from my Son. Your life will be spared for a few more years. See that you spend these years wisely, and do penance."
Interesting hey !!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Embrace & Wear Your Rosary
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
There is something extremely special about the rosary and it can't be explained in such a way that everyone can understand, but by saying that I know many of you do. In every ones life there needs to be a very special joy. The joy I embrace in the Rosary can't be fully explained, or at least off the top of my head, I can't come up with a quick explanation; except that our Blessed Mother's love is embedded in every single one of those beads. Jesus is so alive in them precious mysteries; that in some way the Rosary comes to life every single time I embrace my beads. Back when I made my first mission bead in 1989 I started "wearing" my mission beads around my neck. My choice to wear it was two fold. First and foremost was so that I would always have a set of rosary beads on me because I pray the rosary so much; and second so that it would invoke conversation or at least curiosity. And believe me to this day twenty-one years later both of those needs still get met when I wear my beads. And I still wear the very first mission beads I made properly.
I invite all of you, (though I know so many of you already do) to embrace the Rosary and make it become part of your prayer life. The rosary is all about Jesus, His life, His Ministry. There is something about those beads that just holding them gives me such contentment. In my life I have enjoyed and embraced those beads so much; that I have to say in all honesty and with the fullest of heart, that beyond those beads, aside from my bible, I don't need or desire anything at all. I mean that, life is so complete with the Rosary in your life. Jesus is the center, and Mary is in union with us. And with that we also have the indwelt Holy Spirit inside us guiding us and drawing us closer to Jesus. I can remember back when I fell in love with my rosary prayers. I would be praying my rosary literally anywhere and everywhere. I mean that. As the spirit lead many a times on my way home from work, I'd just pull over to the side of the road, and be fully focused on a decade or even a full rosary. I use to take breaks at work, when I was in business and find a quiet place and pray a full rosary (I use to do that a lot). Please understand I still do these things, but just in a different capacity. See now in my life, the rosary is truly alive every single day. I challenge you.
I know many of you personally and I know that you pray your rosary often. So I send this challenge out to those who don't and also those who already do. "Increase your rosary prayer life." Add decades, add full mysteries, spontaneously pray, plan prayers, unite with others, commit to text and begin with someone no matter where they live. It'll be like you put a case of fireworks into your prayer life. It will indeed come alive and the more you do this, the more you will want it, and the more it will become part of your everyday with Jesus in the Rosary. The biggest first step is to make sure you always have your Rosary Beads with you, no matter where you go. That's why I wear mine. As I get dressed for work, or Mass, or wherever we are going, putting my Rosary Beads on is just a normal part of all that to me.
This is an exerpt from "The Secrets of The Rosary"
The 8th Rose
"Our Lady blesses not only those who preach her Rosary, but she highly rewards all those who get others to say it by their example.
Alphonsus, King of Leon and Galicia, very much wanted all his servants to honor the Blessed Virgin by saying the Rosary. So he used to hang a large rosary on his belt and always wore it, but unfortunately never said it himself. Nevertheless his wearing it encouraged his courtiers to say the Rosary very devoutly.
One day the King fell seriously ill and when he was given up for dead he found himself, in a vision, before the judgement seat of Our Lord. Many devils were there accusing him of all the sins he had committed and Our Lord as Sovereign Judge was just about to condemn him to hell when Our Lady appeared to intercede for him. She called for a pair of scales and had his sins placed in one of the balances whereas she put the rosary that he had always worn on the other scale, together with all the Rosaries that had been said because of his example. It was found that the Rosaries weighed more than his sins.
Looking at him with great kindness Our Lady said: "As a reward for this little honor that you paid me in wearing my Rosary, I have obtained a great grace for you from my Son. Your life will be spared for a few more years. See that you spend these years wisely, and do penance."
Interesting hey !!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Family Matters - Part 2
Beads of Joy 05-12-10
Family Matters - Part 2©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
I hope this blog will help those of you; if you are experiencing challenges like we have in our private lives. We have been together 24 years, that's a lot of time, but when life threatening events arise, change always occur in all aspects of how you perceive things and each other. A scare like this changes people, changes attitudes, changes everything about everything. Life is no longer taken and treated like most people do, live a life around "your own selfish" needs, or live a life around "your own selfish" dislikes, or live a life around "your own selfish" complaints. Big time reality check in your face when things are like this in the center of your home, the center of your thoughts and the center of your family day to day.
When something like this is put before you, you find in your heart a place to put all things a side and you try to solve whatever the problems are or is, or whatever. We are not in this life alone, we are all here together. I don't necessarily mean with a spouse, I mean as God's children. Yes there are times all of us can be indifferent and separation from one another is the best answer. But when life and death are on the table, there's a chemical in your body that kicks in, and literally changes all that. The only objective is to try and not have that other person suffer or even worse. So the compassionate person inside you, who you may have thought left, comes out and wishes to try to save that person suffering. I know what that feels like. I beg Jesus to take my life instead, tear out my lungs and give them to Chrissy. I wouldn't hesitate dying for her. She needs to be here for the children and me, she does not deserve to suffer like she is. This morning I let her sleep in, like I do on weeks I am on this earlier schedule. I get all the kids out for school, make life easier for her. But this morning, you can hear her coughing and even struggling with her coughs. This is heartbreaking.
It maybe all me, I think I am really easy to live with, but who knows, maybe my habits are bad. We never ever fight or argue or yell. I just don't do that, it's just not me. Way back before all this, my kids use to ask me, "Dad, why don't you respond back or say something? why do you just walk away?" Then Chrissy would jump in and say, "Your dad always told me he'd never yell at me or be mean to me, so walking away is his way to just let it go, because he loves me way too much to fight." And back then it was always about the kids or neighbors or something else. When someone (your spouses) life is possibly in the clutches of danger, you tend to spend much time pondering many things.
I pray that through all this maybe we as a community can grow from this. There are many in pain, and many who don't suffer in anyway, and just don't know or understand. No matter how bad your pain is, it isn't. Does that make sense? I hope it does, I know what I am trying to say. Prayer is our best tool to fight against and cope with challenges we have no control of. We must offer all this pain to our Lord, whether we are personally suffering or a loved one is. I am praying for all of you. Pain and suffering can be a blessing, if we suffer in union with Jesus.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Family Matters - Part 2©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
I hope this blog will help those of you; if you are experiencing challenges like we have in our private lives. We have been together 24 years, that's a lot of time, but when life threatening events arise, change always occur in all aspects of how you perceive things and each other. A scare like this changes people, changes attitudes, changes everything about everything. Life is no longer taken and treated like most people do, live a life around "your own selfish" needs, or live a life around "your own selfish" dislikes, or live a life around "your own selfish" complaints. Big time reality check in your face when things are like this in the center of your home, the center of your thoughts and the center of your family day to day.
When something like this is put before you, you find in your heart a place to put all things a side and you try to solve whatever the problems are or is, or whatever. We are not in this life alone, we are all here together. I don't necessarily mean with a spouse, I mean as God's children. Yes there are times all of us can be indifferent and separation from one another is the best answer. But when life and death are on the table, there's a chemical in your body that kicks in, and literally changes all that. The only objective is to try and not have that other person suffer or even worse. So the compassionate person inside you, who you may have thought left, comes out and wishes to try to save that person suffering. I know what that feels like. I beg Jesus to take my life instead, tear out my lungs and give them to Chrissy. I wouldn't hesitate dying for her. She needs to be here for the children and me, she does not deserve to suffer like she is. This morning I let her sleep in, like I do on weeks I am on this earlier schedule. I get all the kids out for school, make life easier for her. But this morning, you can hear her coughing and even struggling with her coughs. This is heartbreaking.
It maybe all me, I think I am really easy to live with, but who knows, maybe my habits are bad. We never ever fight or argue or yell. I just don't do that, it's just not me. Way back before all this, my kids use to ask me, "Dad, why don't you respond back or say something? why do you just walk away?" Then Chrissy would jump in and say, "Your dad always told me he'd never yell at me or be mean to me, so walking away is his way to just let it go, because he loves me way too much to fight." And back then it was always about the kids or neighbors or something else. When someone (your spouses) life is possibly in the clutches of danger, you tend to spend much time pondering many things.
I pray that through all this maybe we as a community can grow from this. There are many in pain, and many who don't suffer in anyway, and just don't know or understand. No matter how bad your pain is, it isn't. Does that make sense? I hope it does, I know what I am trying to say. Prayer is our best tool to fight against and cope with challenges we have no control of. We must offer all this pain to our Lord, whether we are personally suffering or a loved one is. I am praying for all of you. Pain and suffering can be a blessing, if we suffer in union with Jesus.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Family Matters - Part 1
Beads of Joy 05-11-10
Family Matters - Part 1
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
This is just going to be a few days of sharing all this that we are going through. I pray that before I end this, we have much better news to share. Last week Chrissy wanted to get a physical and make sure she was alright. That was completely understandable. In the meantime and in the midst of all that she has had this cough for a while, and from time to time she complained about chest pains. We didn't and she didn't think nothing of it. We are all getting older (I didn't just say that. LOL), so we figured this was all part of this journey down the other side of 40. I'll begin from this last Friday morning when the heat got turned up to boil on all of us, especially Chrissy. These past few weeks Chrissy and I on Thursday's after all the kids go to school, we go to a diner for breakfast and then do our banking, some shopping and then we come home so I can go to sleep. We just recently started this about two to three weeks ago. Well last week was leading up to Mother's Day and her flowers the kids sent her was coming on Thursday, so we bumped our Thursday routine into Friday. So other then the day of the week being different, nothing else was different. Chrissy was in the living watching the news curled up with her coffee. Once Sarah left for school then Travie left, Chrissy was in a burst of tears saying, "Look at this!" showing me her napkin, with blood she just coughed out. That sent chills up my spin, that's never a good sign.
And so Friday has begun for us, it was a very long day for all of us. We immediately called Chrissy's Doctor who's office is like 2 miles from our home while the hospital is about 10-15 miles. So her and me and Charlie (who was already for school), screeched out of the driveway and headed to her doctor. Once there, they did an EKG, and just some basic reviewing of her blood pressure, etc, and then they set up an immediate MRI, requesting a "wet test", I still have no idea what that means, but it was written on the order. So I dropped Charlie off at school which was almost like around the block from the doctor (everything is close here), then I went back and picked up Chrissy. So off to the Medical Center we go.. The MRI was a three hour process, Chrissy is allergic to the dye, so she had to be medicated an hour earlier, then they put dye in her system, so they can do the MRI. No she wasn't done, the doctor wanted them to call them for an immediate review. He concluded it was a sever case of pneumonia. My opinion, but he concluded this over the phone. Anyhow they setup an appointment for her to see a Pulmonary Specialist. Like I said this was a long day. Well between the MRI and the specialist we had less then two hours... Good! we had time to eat (we hadn't eaten at all and it was after 1pm) and hit the bank, actually we made a deposit, if we hit the bank, the cops on our tail would have slowed down our fast paced day. LOL. And then we went back to the doctors, and off I went to go pick up the kids as they get out of school, so we can all head back to pick up mommy.
Upon our return Chrissy was in the midst of the leaving process with the paperwork from the specialist. She looked heart broken and about to cry. I had that gut feeling this wasn't going to be good. Well the specialist reviewed the MRI and he told her it revealed that this growth, a rather large and dense one was inside of her lungs. Her regular physician said it was pneumonia.. NOT, after the Pulmonary Specialist reviewed all her tests this week and last he concluded and told her, it's not pneumonia. He said its a growth that is unknown, but apparently very large. She'll get a biopsy, hospital is suppose to call, not sure when. But they said the biopsy itself will be very difficult. There are 3 ways they can do it, all three ways may collapse her lung, sending her directly to the hospital. In the end, the doctor told her, it could very well be negative, or it maybe a sis, or a tumor or cancer, and depending upon what stage it's in and how much it has spread, it could be terminal. OMG, he told us that... YES. So this has been a very somber sad Mother's Day weekend for all of us. And this has all come upon us so quickly. You ask where do we find the strength. It's all in our Lord that we find strength to move forward through these unknown waters.
Then when we all headed out to the car, as soon as Chrissy walked out of the door to the center, she broke down hysterical crying saying, "I don't want to leave you guys.", then my kids were crying, I was crying. Lots of hugging as we headed to the car and little by little we gained back our composure. I told her I have her on many prayer lists. With my Rosary Ministry, I know so many people around the world. I asked many of them to put her on their prayer lists. I told Chrissy we'll ask God for a miracle that you get better. She looked at me straight in the eyes, crying and said, "Do you promise I'll get better?" I didn't know what to say. I got chills when she said that with her heart screaming for an answer. I told her it's God's hands now. Let's trust Him. Let unite and know that He knows His will for you and for us. We learned alot on this day I must say. So much more to share about this experience. It's affected our family in many ways, mostly good. So maybe all this has had a purpose from the start.. I knew that. LOL
To be continued tomorrow...
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Family Matters - Part 1
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
This is just going to be a few days of sharing all this that we are going through. I pray that before I end this, we have much better news to share. Last week Chrissy wanted to get a physical and make sure she was alright. That was completely understandable. In the meantime and in the midst of all that she has had this cough for a while, and from time to time she complained about chest pains. We didn't and she didn't think nothing of it. We are all getting older (I didn't just say that. LOL), so we figured this was all part of this journey down the other side of 40. I'll begin from this last Friday morning when the heat got turned up to boil on all of us, especially Chrissy. These past few weeks Chrissy and I on Thursday's after all the kids go to school, we go to a diner for breakfast and then do our banking, some shopping and then we come home so I can go to sleep. We just recently started this about two to three weeks ago. Well last week was leading up to Mother's Day and her flowers the kids sent her was coming on Thursday, so we bumped our Thursday routine into Friday. So other then the day of the week being different, nothing else was different. Chrissy was in the living watching the news curled up with her coffee. Once Sarah left for school then Travie left, Chrissy was in a burst of tears saying, "Look at this!" showing me her napkin, with blood she just coughed out. That sent chills up my spin, that's never a good sign.
And so Friday has begun for us, it was a very long day for all of us. We immediately called Chrissy's Doctor who's office is like 2 miles from our home while the hospital is about 10-15 miles. So her and me and Charlie (who was already for school), screeched out of the driveway and headed to her doctor. Once there, they did an EKG, and just some basic reviewing of her blood pressure, etc, and then they set up an immediate MRI, requesting a "wet test", I still have no idea what that means, but it was written on the order. So I dropped Charlie off at school which was almost like around the block from the doctor (everything is close here), then I went back and picked up Chrissy. So off to the Medical Center we go.. The MRI was a three hour process, Chrissy is allergic to the dye, so she had to be medicated an hour earlier, then they put dye in her system, so they can do the MRI. No she wasn't done, the doctor wanted them to call them for an immediate review. He concluded it was a sever case of pneumonia. My opinion, but he concluded this over the phone. Anyhow they setup an appointment for her to see a Pulmonary Specialist. Like I said this was a long day. Well between the MRI and the specialist we had less then two hours... Good! we had time to eat (we hadn't eaten at all and it was after 1pm) and hit the bank, actually we made a deposit, if we hit the bank, the cops on our tail would have slowed down our fast paced day. LOL. And then we went back to the doctors, and off I went to go pick up the kids as they get out of school, so we can all head back to pick up mommy.
Upon our return Chrissy was in the midst of the leaving process with the paperwork from the specialist. She looked heart broken and about to cry. I had that gut feeling this wasn't going to be good. Well the specialist reviewed the MRI and he told her it revealed that this growth, a rather large and dense one was inside of her lungs. Her regular physician said it was pneumonia.. NOT, after the Pulmonary Specialist reviewed all her tests this week and last he concluded and told her, it's not pneumonia. He said its a growth that is unknown, but apparently very large. She'll get a biopsy, hospital is suppose to call, not sure when. But they said the biopsy itself will be very difficult. There are 3 ways they can do it, all three ways may collapse her lung, sending her directly to the hospital. In the end, the doctor told her, it could very well be negative, or it maybe a sis, or a tumor or cancer, and depending upon what stage it's in and how much it has spread, it could be terminal. OMG, he told us that... YES. So this has been a very somber sad Mother's Day weekend for all of us. And this has all come upon us so quickly. You ask where do we find the strength. It's all in our Lord that we find strength to move forward through these unknown waters.
Then when we all headed out to the car, as soon as Chrissy walked out of the door to the center, she broke down hysterical crying saying, "I don't want to leave you guys.", then my kids were crying, I was crying. Lots of hugging as we headed to the car and little by little we gained back our composure. I told her I have her on many prayer lists. With my Rosary Ministry, I know so many people around the world. I asked many of them to put her on their prayer lists. I told Chrissy we'll ask God for a miracle that you get better. She looked at me straight in the eyes, crying and said, "Do you promise I'll get better?" I didn't know what to say. I got chills when she said that with her heart screaming for an answer. I told her it's God's hands now. Let's trust Him. Let unite and know that He knows His will for you and for us. We learned alot on this day I must say. So much more to share about this experience. It's affected our family in many ways, mostly good. So maybe all this has had a purpose from the start.. I knew that. LOL
To be continued tomorrow...
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Monday, May 10, 2010
He Will Bear Witness To Me
Beads of Joy 05-10-10
He Will Bear Witness To Me
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
Jesus is telling the disciples that He is sending them the Holy Spirit today. The Spirit of Truth will be there for all of us. What a really special gospel we have to reflect upon today. Today we are reading John 15:26-16:4 (The Counselor Will Bear Witness to Jesus). Oh how I strongly recommend you spend time in God's Word. Throughout my spiritual walk, I have found it to be such an encouragement. You see back in 1983 at the Daughter's of St Paul bookstore. I bought the New Testament on cassette (that's right I said cassette, am I dating myself, lol), and this version is the theatrical version, meaning; there are multiple voices acting out the scripture (women, elderly, etc), and there are background sound effects, etc, all done in the New International Version (NIV) of the bible. It's almost mind boggling how exciting they make all scripture sound. Maybe that's where I get so wound up about the scripture, I cherish this cassette collection of mine. I don't know there maybe more to my excitement. But what I do know is that the more time I spend with Jesus in His word, the more I fall in love with Him, and the more I get to know Him. To this day I still listen to those same cassettes.
We learn so much about the Holy Spirit from Jesus. Most importantly we learn that the three of them (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) who are inseparable, even though separate they are one. That alone is so exciting, and it is through the Holy Spirit that our hearts are united with Jesus and The Father. And it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that our lives are truly transformed. The Spirit gives us courage, and strength when we know, we alone can't do it. It is the Spirit that empowers us with boldness. "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7. We have been given such a blessed gift, such a powerful loving part of the trinity. Let us live our lives embracing that which we have been given. We need to pray to the Holy Spirit for our faith to be deepened and strengthen especially in the times we live in. Catholics are under fire in our world, and Jesus warned us that we would be. We must remember that Jesus told us these days would come. Honker down and pray your rosary, the Rosary is all scriptural.
Our allegiance must be with Jesus. Nothing must separate us from Him, and it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that our souls are united with Jesus. Here is an excellent scripture to reflect upon, "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." Philippians 2:1-2. The Holy Spirit is here for us to help us, to guide us, to show us the way to Jesus. For it was through the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was brought into the world; and it is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are brought to Jesus. We must open our hearts and listen to that small still voice inside our hearts. The Holy Spirit will move you and guide you. You must first trust in Him. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13.
Here is one of my own personal prayers from my journals:
"Dear Lord, today I pray that you fill my heart with a sincere deep love for the Holy Spirit that you have sent me. I ask that you help teach me to love like you, to forgive like you and to do all I can to live my life like you. Most importantly Lord, please help me to love those who hate me, and even more especially for those who seek to destroy me because I love you Lord. My desires in this life are all about you dear Lord. Please help me control the patience I sometimes don't have for others. I also pray Lord that you help me keep a seal on my lips, so that my words never hurt another. Please Lord teach my heart to only seek and desire a hunger for Heavenly things. I know Lord your will is all I seek, please guide me in the direction you want my life. No one in this life Lord has capture and stole my heart like you have. I promise to do all I can to show you in word and deed that I am true to you dear Lord. Amen."
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
He Will Bear Witness To Me
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
Jesus is telling the disciples that He is sending them the Holy Spirit today. The Spirit of Truth will be there for all of us. What a really special gospel we have to reflect upon today. Today we are reading John 15:26-16:4 (The Counselor Will Bear Witness to Jesus). Oh how I strongly recommend you spend time in God's Word. Throughout my spiritual walk, I have found it to be such an encouragement. You see back in 1983 at the Daughter's of St Paul bookstore. I bought the New Testament on cassette (that's right I said cassette, am I dating myself, lol), and this version is the theatrical version, meaning; there are multiple voices acting out the scripture (women, elderly, etc), and there are background sound effects, etc, all done in the New International Version (NIV) of the bible. It's almost mind boggling how exciting they make all scripture sound. Maybe that's where I get so wound up about the scripture, I cherish this cassette collection of mine. I don't know there maybe more to my excitement. But what I do know is that the more time I spend with Jesus in His word, the more I fall in love with Him, and the more I get to know Him. To this day I still listen to those same cassettes.
We learn so much about the Holy Spirit from Jesus. Most importantly we learn that the three of them (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) who are inseparable, even though separate they are one. That alone is so exciting, and it is through the Holy Spirit that our hearts are united with Jesus and The Father. And it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that our lives are truly transformed. The Spirit gives us courage, and strength when we know, we alone can't do it. It is the Spirit that empowers us with boldness. "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7. We have been given such a blessed gift, such a powerful loving part of the trinity. Let us live our lives embracing that which we have been given. We need to pray to the Holy Spirit for our faith to be deepened and strengthen especially in the times we live in. Catholics are under fire in our world, and Jesus warned us that we would be. We must remember that Jesus told us these days would come. Honker down and pray your rosary, the Rosary is all scriptural.
Our allegiance must be with Jesus. Nothing must separate us from Him, and it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that our souls are united with Jesus. Here is an excellent scripture to reflect upon, "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." Philippians 2:1-2. The Holy Spirit is here for us to help us, to guide us, to show us the way to Jesus. For it was through the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was brought into the world; and it is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are brought to Jesus. We must open our hearts and listen to that small still voice inside our hearts. The Holy Spirit will move you and guide you. You must first trust in Him. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13.
Here is one of my own personal prayers from my journals:
"Dear Lord, today I pray that you fill my heart with a sincere deep love for the Holy Spirit that you have sent me. I ask that you help teach me to love like you, to forgive like you and to do all I can to live my life like you. Most importantly Lord, please help me to love those who hate me, and even more especially for those who seek to destroy me because I love you Lord. My desires in this life are all about you dear Lord. Please help me control the patience I sometimes don't have for others. I also pray Lord that you help me keep a seal on my lips, so that my words never hurt another. Please Lord teach my heart to only seek and desire a hunger for Heavenly things. I know Lord your will is all I seek, please guide me in the direction you want my life. No one in this life Lord has capture and stole my heart like you have. I promise to do all I can to show you in word and deed that I am true to you dear Lord. Amen."
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Sunday, May 9, 2010
I Will Come To You
Beads of Joy 05-09-10
I Will Come To You
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
Can you believe it, today is the sixth Sunday of Easter already. Today is also Mother's Day, a true time to celebrate. Time has just been flying by these past few weeks. Today's gospel is John 14:23-29 (Last Supper Discourse: Way to Fellowship) An absolutely fantastic reading and a really wonderful way to celebrate the Lord's day. Jesus speaks to us in such a way that reassures us about the role the Holy Spirit will play in our life; and His love for us, the love God has for us. There is so much love jam packed in today's gospel, I can only want to read it several times over and over. It's like a sorta excerpt from a love letter God has hand written to us. In our daily prayers we need to ask Jesus to inflame our hearts with a love and passion for the word like we have never experienced before. And do you know what is really spectacular? No sorrow, no pain, no suffering, no threats, no hatred towards us can ever take away any of this Joy that we possess when we embrace God's word. Be bold everyone, don't allow this messed up world of priorities offend or scare you into doing what "they" say is what they think is correct. "They" meaning the government or the government owned media. They are not correct! The only day spiritual correctness matters is on the day of judgment. You better be correct in believing in God then.
One that day you better be right in what you believe, for on that day, the gavel of judgment will hit the bench and Heaven or Hell shall be your tomb. We have a most merciful, loving, forgiving God. But should you purposely defy and do all you can to eliminate and destroy Him; oh well people who dare, in the end you lose. In our lives God forbid us to judge one another. But I have to admit, I'd sure like to be in line behind the person who has openly denied God's existence and further destroyed life. Gods wrath will show no mercy, for it will be too late. And without saying a word, all that we have said, all that we believed will be flashed before their eyes in an instance as they are cast down into eternal hell. Now please understand something about me; I do not wish that upon anyone, what I am saying is that we need to be bold, so we can believe and worship without fear. We have all the time and all the chances right here, right now to get it right with God. Let's just do it. Why should anyone of us be intimidated by the hatred that looms in this world? Read God's word often, your hearts will be forever singing to the tune of eternity.
In today's word, do you know that love that can even defeat death? God's love for us is so real, so strong, so intense that all we need to do is believe in Him, love Him and honor Him. If I were to tell you, that I (me-Jimmy) can give you eternal life, what would you say? You'd probably look at me, and go "Yeah right, and who are you? You are nothing but a mortal man." Of cause you're not going to put your trust in me. But only in God, thee God of the entire universe, the one who has created the entire universe, it is He who has offered us Heaven: Do we not believe Him? or Do we embrace His every word and do all we can to follow the commandments He has set before us? Obviously the one true God of the universe is the one we all should be listening to. Trust in Him, and do not let your hearts be troubled. God not only loves us, but He continually forgives us; and we do all we can in this life to draw ever closer to Him.
As this new fresh week begins, let us all take the time to seriously think about God's love for us. Your heart will skip a beat, your smile will be permanent, your thoughts will be only of Him. You will see everything in a whole new light. It'll be like a dark room has been lite up with an endless array of flood lights. You will see and hear and know things that you've never known, seen or heard before. Your boldness to love Him, will be unshakable. No words or thoughts or con-job will ever make you take your eyes off Him. For you know God and Jesus personally, there is no way anyone can just say they don't exist, for you know them, so you know they exist. I challenge anyone of you, especially the faint at heart. Be bold this week, be who you are in God's sight at all times. I am not rude, and I do my best not to do anything with pride. But when asked about things, or comments are made. But, I stand strong. I always Boldly say when asked about my faith, I say, "I am a cradle Roman Catholic, don't even think about trying to change my heart and love to be against what I believe." Yes those are my words. Sometimes those trying to attack me try to use that against me, sad part is I don't back down. Inevitably they retreat.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY LADIES!!!!
I Will Come To You
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
Can you believe it, today is the sixth Sunday of Easter already. Today is also Mother's Day, a true time to celebrate. Time has just been flying by these past few weeks. Today's gospel is John 14:23-29 (Last Supper Discourse: Way to Fellowship) An absolutely fantastic reading and a really wonderful way to celebrate the Lord's day. Jesus speaks to us in such a way that reassures us about the role the Holy Spirit will play in our life; and His love for us, the love God has for us. There is so much love jam packed in today's gospel, I can only want to read it several times over and over. It's like a sorta excerpt from a love letter God has hand written to us. In our daily prayers we need to ask Jesus to inflame our hearts with a love and passion for the word like we have never experienced before. And do you know what is really spectacular? No sorrow, no pain, no suffering, no threats, no hatred towards us can ever take away any of this Joy that we possess when we embrace God's word. Be bold everyone, don't allow this messed up world of priorities offend or scare you into doing what "they" say is what they think is correct. "They" meaning the government or the government owned media. They are not correct! The only day spiritual correctness matters is on the day of judgment. You better be correct in believing in God then.
One that day you better be right in what you believe, for on that day, the gavel of judgment will hit the bench and Heaven or Hell shall be your tomb. We have a most merciful, loving, forgiving God. But should you purposely defy and do all you can to eliminate and destroy Him; oh well people who dare, in the end you lose. In our lives God forbid us to judge one another. But I have to admit, I'd sure like to be in line behind the person who has openly denied God's existence and further destroyed life. Gods wrath will show no mercy, for it will be too late. And without saying a word, all that we have said, all that we believed will be flashed before their eyes in an instance as they are cast down into eternal hell. Now please understand something about me; I do not wish that upon anyone, what I am saying is that we need to be bold, so we can believe and worship without fear. We have all the time and all the chances right here, right now to get it right with God. Let's just do it. Why should anyone of us be intimidated by the hatred that looms in this world? Read God's word often, your hearts will be forever singing to the tune of eternity.
In today's word, do you know that love that can even defeat death? God's love for us is so real, so strong, so intense that all we need to do is believe in Him, love Him and honor Him. If I were to tell you, that I (me-Jimmy) can give you eternal life, what would you say? You'd probably look at me, and go "Yeah right, and who are you? You are nothing but a mortal man." Of cause you're not going to put your trust in me. But only in God, thee God of the entire universe, the one who has created the entire universe, it is He who has offered us Heaven: Do we not believe Him? or Do we embrace His every word and do all we can to follow the commandments He has set before us? Obviously the one true God of the universe is the one we all should be listening to. Trust in Him, and do not let your hearts be troubled. God not only loves us, but He continually forgives us; and we do all we can in this life to draw ever closer to Him.
As this new fresh week begins, let us all take the time to seriously think about God's love for us. Your heart will skip a beat, your smile will be permanent, your thoughts will be only of Him. You will see everything in a whole new light. It'll be like a dark room has been lite up with an endless array of flood lights. You will see and hear and know things that you've never known, seen or heard before. Your boldness to love Him, will be unshakable. No words or thoughts or con-job will ever make you take your eyes off Him. For you know God and Jesus personally, there is no way anyone can just say they don't exist, for you know them, so you know they exist. I challenge anyone of you, especially the faint at heart. Be bold this week, be who you are in God's sight at all times. I am not rude, and I do my best not to do anything with pride. But when asked about things, or comments are made. But, I stand strong. I always Boldly say when asked about my faith, I say, "I am a cradle Roman Catholic, don't even think about trying to change my heart and love to be against what I believe." Yes those are my words. Sometimes those trying to attack me try to use that against me, sad part is I don't back down. Inevitably they retreat.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY LADIES!!!!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Alphonse Dacey (my uncle)
Beads of Joy 05-08-10
Dedication Days - Alfonse Dacey (my uncle)
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Dedication Days
Hello Everyone,
There are so many people I want to dedicate my love, allegiance and respect to. Some of these people are in my life now, and throughout the past 45 years who have helped shaped me to the person I am today. Soon after a couple more friends and extended family members are shared and dedicated, I will be focusing on my immediate family. Today I bow my head and say a prayer for an uncle who became my pal, my buddy, and a real close friend, and whom I miss dearly. Let me introduce my Uncle Alphonse Dacey, he is my dad's older brother. As an uncle he was more like a "cousin", we had so much in common, and it was from that common ground that we bonded. It literally all stemmed from "my story". If you read my story when I began my life in Jesus, you'll see how my family history and my family became so important to me, and I learned to find out my Uncle Al had the same love for our family. And from all that I learned that my Uncle Al was the Dacey Family Historian.
What a passion he had for our family, and all of it's history. He and I use to talk for hours every time we got together, we were like buddies. At the time he told me about all the information and details he had collected over the years about our families heritage. See we originally came from Salerno, Italy in 1875, he had so many details of conversations, decisions made, his parents (my grandparents) story about how there marriage was pre-planned by two close buddies back in Italy. It's a really exciting story. In fact my uncle wrote a book that he made enough copies for all his siblings, I got one to. LOL. He wowed me with so much information, it was incredible all of what he had learned. But you know what was really cool, was when I started getting into it; and I got copies of their legal immigration papers, copies of the tickets when my family took the "America" the ship to come to America, wedding certificates. Now I got to wow him, he was shocked how after all the years he did family history and got so much; here I came along and found even more. I even found an additional uncle of his, he never knew, no one ever told him, and there was no family records. Well I found death records of a two year old, who was his dad's (my grandpa's) brother. It was a pretty amazing find indeed.
Then the time came where my uncle knew how much work we'd put into the research we did together and he told me he wanted to pass the torch to me. I was like "WOW !!!". He said my excitement and obvious ability to attain information made it obvious that I had a passion for our family. So thank God, he was alive to tell me that and he really made me feel incredible that he entrusted such an honorable fun job to me. I really miss working elbow to elbow with him, we use to share our finds and swap information. And then there were times we use to have a poster board on the table with charts, and we'd make notes. I'd share my finds, he'd fill in the gapes with stuff I just didn't know. I got to tell you we had an incredible bond. It was always fun. My uncle Al was always a good man, a respectful devout family man; even his ex-wife (my Aunt Kitty) loved and adored him even though they both went their own separate ways. She told me that she still loves him. I shall always have a special love for him in my heart. His spiritual life was a very private one. He reminds me of His mom, my grandma. She told me, she had a devotion to our Blessed Mother, a very private one, she was old school Italy in her ways. She spoke broken english and couldn't write any english.
As the end drew near, he came down to the shop (me and my dads collision repair shop) and said to us; that in a few days he'd be going back for his second triple bi-pass surgery. At that time it been ten years since he had his first and and he was told that they usually only last about that long; and that was a little more than twenty years ago. We talked and laughed and at the time I remember telling him, "You'll be fine, I'll be praying for you. Once you are up to it, we'll get back together to further our family studies." Well I guess at this point of the dedication, you already know he don't come home, he never actually made it through the surgery. I will never forget the day we got the call. I was in my garage at home, and I had the cordless. Chrissy was in the house with some friends of hers who were visiting, and the kids were all playing. If I remember correctly, it was my dad who called me. I need not tell you how the news overwhelmed and crushed me. After our very short chat and crying voices, I needed to take a walk. At the time we were living the home we owned in Milford,PA in Country Club Woods, so we had some property. Well I went in our back woods and I collapsed next a tree and cried and cried and cried, I have no idea how long I was out there. But when I came back Chrissy said, "Where have you been, we've been looking for you for a while." I told her what happened and that I needed to be a lone for a while, she understood. Every single time someone dear to me leaves me I am crushed and honestly I am brought to uncontrollable tears. Yes I believe and I know where we are all going. It's rather selfish of me I know, but I can't help it.
Today I salute you: Uncle Al
I miss you so much, wish we got to spend more time.
You are always in my heart and always in my prayers.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Dedication Days - Alfonse Dacey (my uncle)
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Dedication Days
Hello Everyone,
There are so many people I want to dedicate my love, allegiance and respect to. Some of these people are in my life now, and throughout the past 45 years who have helped shaped me to the person I am today. Soon after a couple more friends and extended family members are shared and dedicated, I will be focusing on my immediate family. Today I bow my head and say a prayer for an uncle who became my pal, my buddy, and a real close friend, and whom I miss dearly. Let me introduce my Uncle Alphonse Dacey, he is my dad's older brother. As an uncle he was more like a "cousin", we had so much in common, and it was from that common ground that we bonded. It literally all stemmed from "my story". If you read my story when I began my life in Jesus, you'll see how my family history and my family became so important to me, and I learned to find out my Uncle Al had the same love for our family. And from all that I learned that my Uncle Al was the Dacey Family Historian.
What a passion he had for our family, and all of it's history. He and I use to talk for hours every time we got together, we were like buddies. At the time he told me about all the information and details he had collected over the years about our families heritage. See we originally came from Salerno, Italy in 1875, he had so many details of conversations, decisions made, his parents (my grandparents) story about how there marriage was pre-planned by two close buddies back in Italy. It's a really exciting story. In fact my uncle wrote a book that he made enough copies for all his siblings, I got one to. LOL. He wowed me with so much information, it was incredible all of what he had learned. But you know what was really cool, was when I started getting into it; and I got copies of their legal immigration papers, copies of the tickets when my family took the "America" the ship to come to America, wedding certificates. Now I got to wow him, he was shocked how after all the years he did family history and got so much; here I came along and found even more. I even found an additional uncle of his, he never knew, no one ever told him, and there was no family records. Well I found death records of a two year old, who was his dad's (my grandpa's) brother. It was a pretty amazing find indeed.
Then the time came where my uncle knew how much work we'd put into the research we did together and he told me he wanted to pass the torch to me. I was like "WOW !!!". He said my excitement and obvious ability to attain information made it obvious that I had a passion for our family. So thank God, he was alive to tell me that and he really made me feel incredible that he entrusted such an honorable fun job to me. I really miss working elbow to elbow with him, we use to share our finds and swap information. And then there were times we use to have a poster board on the table with charts, and we'd make notes. I'd share my finds, he'd fill in the gapes with stuff I just didn't know. I got to tell you we had an incredible bond. It was always fun. My uncle Al was always a good man, a respectful devout family man; even his ex-wife (my Aunt Kitty) loved and adored him even though they both went their own separate ways. She told me that she still loves him. I shall always have a special love for him in my heart. His spiritual life was a very private one. He reminds me of His mom, my grandma. She told me, she had a devotion to our Blessed Mother, a very private one, she was old school Italy in her ways. She spoke broken english and couldn't write any english.
As the end drew near, he came down to the shop (me and my dads collision repair shop) and said to us; that in a few days he'd be going back for his second triple bi-pass surgery. At that time it been ten years since he had his first and and he was told that they usually only last about that long; and that was a little more than twenty years ago. We talked and laughed and at the time I remember telling him, "You'll be fine, I'll be praying for you. Once you are up to it, we'll get back together to further our family studies." Well I guess at this point of the dedication, you already know he don't come home, he never actually made it through the surgery. I will never forget the day we got the call. I was in my garage at home, and I had the cordless. Chrissy was in the house with some friends of hers who were visiting, and the kids were all playing. If I remember correctly, it was my dad who called me. I need not tell you how the news overwhelmed and crushed me. After our very short chat and crying voices, I needed to take a walk. At the time we were living the home we owned in Milford,PA in Country Club Woods, so we had some property. Well I went in our back woods and I collapsed next a tree and cried and cried and cried, I have no idea how long I was out there. But when I came back Chrissy said, "Where have you been, we've been looking for you for a while." I told her what happened and that I needed to be a lone for a while, she understood. Every single time someone dear to me leaves me I am crushed and honestly I am brought to uncontrollable tears. Yes I believe and I know where we are all going. It's rather selfish of me I know, but I can't help it.
Today I salute you: Uncle Al
I miss you so much, wish we got to spend more time.
You are always in my heart and always in my prayers.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Friday, May 7, 2010
Purify Your Soul By Resisting
Beads of Joy 05-07-10
Purify Your Soul By Resisting
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Recognize Temptation 5/5
Hello Everyone,
We must put our feet to the fire, and seriously stay in check and resist. It is through our temptations that we are tested. Just as Jesus was tempted but not tricked into following though to sin. We are tempted everyday and we must do all we can to resist the hunger we have for the things put before us that will hurt us spiritually. It is through our temptation that we see our weaknesses, but it is by God's grace our eyes are opened to the things our flesh fall weak to. And through that knowledge we can be better equipped to fight off the deception temptation always places before us. The deception is that the final product of temptation which is inevitably sin, is something we desire; when indeed it's not. I think of the scripture, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26 Let us try not to surrender our soul to satan in our sins, we will sin no doubt. But let us all try not to willingly surrender.
What is the lesson we can learn from temptation? I think its the fact it shows our human weaknesses. We are fragile to some degree, but if timed right, even if we are good holy people; we to can be led down a sinful path quenching the thirst of our hunger. We must resist in order to purify ourselves before God. It is through how we handle our temptation that shows God whether we are indeed loyal to Him alone. We must be able to hold our feet to the fire in all things. This suggestion maybe helpful, this is what I do: I journal, so I just tend to write a lot, so this idea revolves around that. On the front of the page I write out all my weaknesses, obviously my sinful ones that offend God. Be one hundred percent honest with yourself, this is your private notebook. Then pour out your heart and see what's at the root of these sins and temptations that you feel powerless to. This is also a great way to prepare for a good healthy confession. I still do this when I prepare for my confessions. Once it's written before you, you can see what the causes are, and now you know what to avoid.
Through the years I have modified and refined that technique, I am very familiar with my weaknesses and absolutely know what I need to avoid; so I don't fall subject to falling into sin. The very first step as you sense and know that a fork in the road has been placed, is to pray. We can not allow satan to sneak up on us and catch us off guard. I think that's why I have saturated my life pretty much completely with my faith, my rosary, and my spiritual writing. Jesus is inevitably all I think of, I don't have much extra time in my life to think about anything else, unless it is God related. Some have said, "That's crazy, you're a Jesus freak." and I say jokingly, "Yes I am a Jesus Freak, what kind of a freak are you?" Besides people who know me, know I don't really care what people think about me, or my faith.
I will be the first to confess the weaknesses in my life; not that I want to print them in big letters across the sky, but I am human, and I admit it. I'd have to say I'll share a little, just to make it easy for some to relate. But know that in some way all of us have similar or the same weaknesses towards certain temptations. My greatest sin I will openly admit is Gluttony. Yes I have many weakness to other temptations that lead me to sin, but gluttony is my worst. I can literally eat anyone under the table, I can consume very large quantities of food. I absolutely love food, and eating is such an awesome pleasure, no I am not salivating as I type. LOL. I try my best to control it, but I fall victim to the fact that I know how to cook. So if I am hungry and it needs to be cooked, I cook. I get tempted by smells, the thought of foods, pictures of meals I enjoy. How about driving past a bakery. I am so bad. I am addicted to food, and I can't just stop eating, so that's even more of a challenge. Just the other night while writing, I made 2 pounds of pasta and ate it, yes you read correctly 2 pounds. I love pasta. This is sad I guess to some degree. My health is good, I feel good, but the temptation that keeps leading into this sin is so hard to resist. I pray about this all the time, even though I am eating as I write this blog. I hope this has been a good week for you with all this sharing.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Purify Your Soul By Resisting
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Recognize Temptation 5/5
Hello Everyone,
We must put our feet to the fire, and seriously stay in check and resist. It is through our temptations that we are tested. Just as Jesus was tempted but not tricked into following though to sin. We are tempted everyday and we must do all we can to resist the hunger we have for the things put before us that will hurt us spiritually. It is through our temptation that we see our weaknesses, but it is by God's grace our eyes are opened to the things our flesh fall weak to. And through that knowledge we can be better equipped to fight off the deception temptation always places before us. The deception is that the final product of temptation which is inevitably sin, is something we desire; when indeed it's not. I think of the scripture, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26 Let us try not to surrender our soul to satan in our sins, we will sin no doubt. But let us all try not to willingly surrender.
What is the lesson we can learn from temptation? I think its the fact it shows our human weaknesses. We are fragile to some degree, but if timed right, even if we are good holy people; we to can be led down a sinful path quenching the thirst of our hunger. We must resist in order to purify ourselves before God. It is through how we handle our temptation that shows God whether we are indeed loyal to Him alone. We must be able to hold our feet to the fire in all things. This suggestion maybe helpful, this is what I do: I journal, so I just tend to write a lot, so this idea revolves around that. On the front of the page I write out all my weaknesses, obviously my sinful ones that offend God. Be one hundred percent honest with yourself, this is your private notebook. Then pour out your heart and see what's at the root of these sins and temptations that you feel powerless to. This is also a great way to prepare for a good healthy confession. I still do this when I prepare for my confessions. Once it's written before you, you can see what the causes are, and now you know what to avoid.
Through the years I have modified and refined that technique, I am very familiar with my weaknesses and absolutely know what I need to avoid; so I don't fall subject to falling into sin. The very first step as you sense and know that a fork in the road has been placed, is to pray. We can not allow satan to sneak up on us and catch us off guard. I think that's why I have saturated my life pretty much completely with my faith, my rosary, and my spiritual writing. Jesus is inevitably all I think of, I don't have much extra time in my life to think about anything else, unless it is God related. Some have said, "That's crazy, you're a Jesus freak." and I say jokingly, "Yes I am a Jesus Freak, what kind of a freak are you?" Besides people who know me, know I don't really care what people think about me, or my faith.
I will be the first to confess the weaknesses in my life; not that I want to print them in big letters across the sky, but I am human, and I admit it. I'd have to say I'll share a little, just to make it easy for some to relate. But know that in some way all of us have similar or the same weaknesses towards certain temptations. My greatest sin I will openly admit is Gluttony. Yes I have many weakness to other temptations that lead me to sin, but gluttony is my worst. I can literally eat anyone under the table, I can consume very large quantities of food. I absolutely love food, and eating is such an awesome pleasure, no I am not salivating as I type. LOL. I try my best to control it, but I fall victim to the fact that I know how to cook. So if I am hungry and it needs to be cooked, I cook. I get tempted by smells, the thought of foods, pictures of meals I enjoy. How about driving past a bakery. I am so bad. I am addicted to food, and I can't just stop eating, so that's even more of a challenge. Just the other night while writing, I made 2 pounds of pasta and ate it, yes you read correctly 2 pounds. I love pasta. This is sad I guess to some degree. My health is good, I feel good, but the temptation that keeps leading into this sin is so hard to resist. I pray about this all the time, even though I am eating as I write this blog. I hope this has been a good week for you with all this sharing.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Are We Seriously Determined
Beads of Joy 05-06-10
Are We Seriously Determined?
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Recognize Temptation 4/5
Hello Everyone,
We can be tempted alone, just from a lack of determination to avoid or resist the temptation that we are faced with. Before we even move forward here, let's be completely be honest with ourselves, you don't have to tell the world; but there are certain temptations that many of us like, and many of us even embrace. So to be determined to stop it or avoid the possible sin that may follow, we instead keep our defenses down to allow it. I believe that's just honest truth there, why make like we are holy and pious, when we know in our hearts that we really like that certain temptation. If we seriously desire to and we are determined to avoid a certain temptation; well then we need to go to Jesus for strength. Are we praying enough? Do we stand before Him in silence enough asking for the grace of God to overcome a certain temptation? How frequent do we instead turn to the world for help? Only to find that the world can not help us. The world is way too preoccupied with itself; Jesus is the only way we can defeat these temptations, if indeed we are seriously be determined to defeat them. Are we seriously determined to defeat these temptations?
If we are not determined what could happen? Soon we find out after looking everywhere, except towards Jesus, that we can not defeat this temptation whenever it comes our way, instead we give into it so willingly. The only perfect way to be determined to defeat these temptations, is through Jesus. Nothing else we do can help us. Reality Check: Let's admit it, some of these temptations are old habits of sin that just keep coming back into our lives. Have you ever confessed the same sin over and over and over; you almost feel like you can't defeat it. I've been there, it's like trying to stop smoking. Though I don't smoke, but I hear from smokers that to stop smoking it takes a great deal of determination and a solid commitment to stop, and for some it may take years. And some have even told me falling back is common, what a parallel. And if you don't stay focus on defeating the temptation, you will keep sliding back. However do we defeat these temptations then? How can we break this routine we have created? Through faith and confidence and a serious whole-hearted approach, we can defeat this. Are we seriously determined to defeat these temptations?
How does all of this take place in our lives? It can be so subtle, we so need to be attentive to these things. It usually just gets started with a simple thought that just slips into our minds. And then we imagine things about that thought; then we further embrace it and we gain a certain delight for it, a pleasure of sorts. We usually even think of the evil around that thought and the sin we know for certain it will lead us to. And so then in the end we consent to the very fact that we going to do it anyway. That is SIN indeed. This is satan's way of gaining as much of our heart, soul and love as possible from Jesus. But heed this thought about allowing even the slightest of temptations to become acceptable in your life. Soon that evil sin in our lives that we once looked upon as offensive to God and was unacceptable becomes acceptable. These are sins we'd normally confess and that we were normally ashamed of, but it no longer seems that bad anymore to us. To me that is dangerous. Are we seriously determined to defeat these temptations?
The only chance we have in dealing with this is keeping our eyes focused on Jesus. Let us take a moment and reflect on the Catechism and see what it says about temptation."God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one"; on the contrary, he wants to set us free from evil. We ask him not to allow us to take the way that leads to sin. We are engaged in the battle "between flesh and spirit"; this petition implores the Spirit of discernment and strength." CCC#2846 And this part of the Catechism refers you back to this scripture, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Matthew 26:41. The Catechism covers the explanation of "lead us not into temptation" in the Our Father prayer in it's explaination of temptation. Final Catechism to reflect, "Such a battle and such a victory become possible only through prayer. It is by his prayer that Jesus vanquishes the tempter, both at the outset of his public mission and in the ultimate struggle of his agony. In this petition to our heavenly Father, Christ unites us to his battle and his agony. He urges us to vigilance of the heart in communion with his own. Vigilance is "custody of the heart," and Jesus prayed for us to the Father: "Keep them in your name."The Holy Spirit constantly seeks to awaken us to keep watch. Finally, this petition takes on all its dramatic meaning in relation to the last temptation of our earthly battle; it asks for final perseverance. "Lo, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who is awake." CCC#2849
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Are We Seriously Determined?
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Recognize Temptation 4/5
Hello Everyone,
We can be tempted alone, just from a lack of determination to avoid or resist the temptation that we are faced with. Before we even move forward here, let's be completely be honest with ourselves, you don't have to tell the world; but there are certain temptations that many of us like, and many of us even embrace. So to be determined to stop it or avoid the possible sin that may follow, we instead keep our defenses down to allow it. I believe that's just honest truth there, why make like we are holy and pious, when we know in our hearts that we really like that certain temptation. If we seriously desire to and we are determined to avoid a certain temptation; well then we need to go to Jesus for strength. Are we praying enough? Do we stand before Him in silence enough asking for the grace of God to overcome a certain temptation? How frequent do we instead turn to the world for help? Only to find that the world can not help us. The world is way too preoccupied with itself; Jesus is the only way we can defeat these temptations, if indeed we are seriously be determined to defeat them. Are we seriously determined to defeat these temptations?
If we are not determined what could happen? Soon we find out after looking everywhere, except towards Jesus, that we can not defeat this temptation whenever it comes our way, instead we give into it so willingly. The only perfect way to be determined to defeat these temptations, is through Jesus. Nothing else we do can help us. Reality Check: Let's admit it, some of these temptations are old habits of sin that just keep coming back into our lives. Have you ever confessed the same sin over and over and over; you almost feel like you can't defeat it. I've been there, it's like trying to stop smoking. Though I don't smoke, but I hear from smokers that to stop smoking it takes a great deal of determination and a solid commitment to stop, and for some it may take years. And some have even told me falling back is common, what a parallel. And if you don't stay focus on defeating the temptation, you will keep sliding back. However do we defeat these temptations then? How can we break this routine we have created? Through faith and confidence and a serious whole-hearted approach, we can defeat this. Are we seriously determined to defeat these temptations?
How does all of this take place in our lives? It can be so subtle, we so need to be attentive to these things. It usually just gets started with a simple thought that just slips into our minds. And then we imagine things about that thought; then we further embrace it and we gain a certain delight for it, a pleasure of sorts. We usually even think of the evil around that thought and the sin we know for certain it will lead us to. And so then in the end we consent to the very fact that we going to do it anyway. That is SIN indeed. This is satan's way of gaining as much of our heart, soul and love as possible from Jesus. But heed this thought about allowing even the slightest of temptations to become acceptable in your life. Soon that evil sin in our lives that we once looked upon as offensive to God and was unacceptable becomes acceptable. These are sins we'd normally confess and that we were normally ashamed of, but it no longer seems that bad anymore to us. To me that is dangerous. Are we seriously determined to defeat these temptations?
The only chance we have in dealing with this is keeping our eyes focused on Jesus. Let us take a moment and reflect on the Catechism and see what it says about temptation."God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one"; on the contrary, he wants to set us free from evil. We ask him not to allow us to take the way that leads to sin. We are engaged in the battle "between flesh and spirit"; this petition implores the Spirit of discernment and strength." CCC#2846 And this part of the Catechism refers you back to this scripture, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Matthew 26:41. The Catechism covers the explanation of "lead us not into temptation" in the Our Father prayer in it's explaination of temptation. Final Catechism to reflect, "Such a battle and such a victory become possible only through prayer. It is by his prayer that Jesus vanquishes the tempter, both at the outset of his public mission and in the ultimate struggle of his agony. In this petition to our heavenly Father, Christ unites us to his battle and his agony. He urges us to vigilance of the heart in communion with his own. Vigilance is "custody of the heart," and Jesus prayed for us to the Father: "Keep them in your name."The Holy Spirit constantly seeks to awaken us to keep watch. Finally, this petition takes on all its dramatic meaning in relation to the last temptation of our earthly battle; it asks for final perseverance. "Lo, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who is awake." CCC#2849
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Can't Escape Temptation
Beads of Joy 05-05-10
We Can't Escape Temptation
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Recognize Temptation 3/5
Hello Everyone,
There is no hour, no day, no time, no place that anyone can escape from temptation. We must be patient with the things we have no control of, this is one of those things. There is a constant, endless almost annoying tug inside all of us about whatever it is we are weak to and give into. Satan knows those weaknesses, he knows how to manipulate our common sense that would normally keep us away. He knows how to do whatever it'll take to destroy us, to make us unclean with sin before our Lord. If satan can make you or me just take one step away from Jesus every single chance he gets, he'll be thrilled with just that. For if there are enough steps away from Jesus, then we will no longer be close to Jesus. That's one of his biggest goals, to make us move away from our Lord. He'll convince us, "Oh you can believe and worship Him, just come to me for your habits. It's Ok." Satan is out to do one thing and one thing only, and that's to destroy you and me. And the best way to destroy us is by making our lives unworthy before our Lord.
Now let us see what scripture tells us about temptation, and what we need to know about it, knowing that we will indeed be faced with it. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13. See God has given us the ability to resist, sometimes we need to really dig down deep to find the courage to walk the other away, or change the channel, look the other way, whatever. One key way for us to escape the temptation is to resist it. Now that sounds so simple, so unrealistic, "If it was that easy, this would be no big deal." I'm sure somebody just said that to the computer screen. I know, and I agree with you, but, there's always a but. LOL. Scripture tells us plainly that we can. Check it out, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7, see as promised, it is scriptural.
We can't "escape" temptation, per say; but we can avoid it whenever possible. What is your weakness?, what do you melt to and give into so easily? We are all humans, we are not machines or drones, Ok, some of you know what I mean by drones, so OK there are drones out there. Mr Levin has made that clear. LOL. See what I mean by temptations!, sometimes we fall right into a trap, set out before us by the evil one. I try, I really try, but I admit I am weak when it comes to the temptations of my life. But I don't give up, and I try my best not to give in. Jesus is always my strength, more than many of you know. For to me the bible helps guide me through some of the wickest storms of life. "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service." 1 Timothy 1:12. The good is well worth fighting for, we can't surrender to the devil, for his goal is only to destroy us and separate us from God for all eternity. Our strength and persistence to embrace the will of God, in the end will separate us from the evil one for all eternity.
So we can't flee, we can't escape. Then what do we do? The solution I believe is easier then I think we make it out to be. We need to build a serious solid relationship with Jesus, a more familiar kind, a better acquainted approach. Our future, our eternity will depend on it. Aim no lower than that. Jesus has taught to us sincere love and embraced us with His death. Let us learn by His example. We must crucify our old self's, I do mean that, not literally, obviously. But we really must END, who we were and we MUST be new in Him alone. And we may have to do this over and over and over again throughout our lives. I learned something once told to me back in my early Jesus Years, like the early 1980's. At the time I was attending a prayer group at St Patrick's Church in Richmondtown, on Staten Island. Fr Jeff Conway was our prayer group priest. He told me, "It is better for you to constantly start over and clean the slate with our Lord in confession, then to do nothing at all. Our Lord knows your heart when you keep trying." He further said, "It's when we give up that satan wins. Never stop confessing and trying to make it right with God. He knows your heart." That has stuck with me these 27 years. I never forgot the wisdom he shared with me. I am ever grateful.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
We Can't Escape Temptation
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Recognize Temptation 3/5
Hello Everyone,
There is no hour, no day, no time, no place that anyone can escape from temptation. We must be patient with the things we have no control of, this is one of those things. There is a constant, endless almost annoying tug inside all of us about whatever it is we are weak to and give into. Satan knows those weaknesses, he knows how to manipulate our common sense that would normally keep us away. He knows how to do whatever it'll take to destroy us, to make us unclean with sin before our Lord. If satan can make you or me just take one step away from Jesus every single chance he gets, he'll be thrilled with just that. For if there are enough steps away from Jesus, then we will no longer be close to Jesus. That's one of his biggest goals, to make us move away from our Lord. He'll convince us, "Oh you can believe and worship Him, just come to me for your habits. It's Ok." Satan is out to do one thing and one thing only, and that's to destroy you and me. And the best way to destroy us is by making our lives unworthy before our Lord.
Now let us see what scripture tells us about temptation, and what we need to know about it, knowing that we will indeed be faced with it. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13. See God has given us the ability to resist, sometimes we need to really dig down deep to find the courage to walk the other away, or change the channel, look the other way, whatever. One key way for us to escape the temptation is to resist it. Now that sounds so simple, so unrealistic, "If it was that easy, this would be no big deal." I'm sure somebody just said that to the computer screen. I know, and I agree with you, but, there's always a but. LOL. Scripture tells us plainly that we can. Check it out, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7, see as promised, it is scriptural.
We can't "escape" temptation, per say; but we can avoid it whenever possible. What is your weakness?, what do you melt to and give into so easily? We are all humans, we are not machines or drones, Ok, some of you know what I mean by drones, so OK there are drones out there. Mr Levin has made that clear. LOL. See what I mean by temptations!, sometimes we fall right into a trap, set out before us by the evil one. I try, I really try, but I admit I am weak when it comes to the temptations of my life. But I don't give up, and I try my best not to give in. Jesus is always my strength, more than many of you know. For to me the bible helps guide me through some of the wickest storms of life. "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service." 1 Timothy 1:12. The good is well worth fighting for, we can't surrender to the devil, for his goal is only to destroy us and separate us from God for all eternity. Our strength and persistence to embrace the will of God, in the end will separate us from the evil one for all eternity.
So we can't flee, we can't escape. Then what do we do? The solution I believe is easier then I think we make it out to be. We need to build a serious solid relationship with Jesus, a more familiar kind, a better acquainted approach. Our future, our eternity will depend on it. Aim no lower than that. Jesus has taught to us sincere love and embraced us with His death. Let us learn by His example. We must crucify our old self's, I do mean that, not literally, obviously. But we really must END, who we were and we MUST be new in Him alone. And we may have to do this over and over and over again throughout our lives. I learned something once told to me back in my early Jesus Years, like the early 1980's. At the time I was attending a prayer group at St Patrick's Church in Richmondtown, on Staten Island. Fr Jeff Conway was our prayer group priest. He told me, "It is better for you to constantly start over and clean the slate with our Lord in confession, then to do nothing at all. Our Lord knows your heart when you keep trying." He further said, "It's when we give up that satan wins. Never stop confessing and trying to make it right with God. He knows your heart." That has stuck with me these 27 years. I never forgot the wisdom he shared with me. I am ever grateful.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Life Is far Too Short
Beads of Joy 05-04-10
Life Is Far Too Short
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Recognize Temptation 2/5
Hello Everyone,
Yesterday's blog was powerful indeed wasn't it. Now let's take this recognizing temptation to the next level. Let us place it in a sort of "time capsule". When I say time, I mean time by how much time we have while we are here. See once you capsulize it and look at the minuet fraction of time that it really is, in full retrospect of all of eternity. We find out that this little tiny sliver of time is what determines of eternal destination of existence. We are all eternal beings, but where our eternity will be, will be determined by the choices we make here and now. "Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes." Luke 12:23, how true is that? Life is so much more than just what we hunger for while we are here. And life is so much than what we cover our time and space with. "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14, just like the smoke I was talking about yesterday. But continue those thoughts; it's visibly here for a while, and then it's gone for good. No one knows where it went to, and it'll never have the ability to ever return. Pretty deep stuff. LOL
In this life we are surrounded by many things. Most of which seem to inflict sorrow, or pain in some form. No matter how perfect we may think our lives are, and how much our lives seem to have all our needs met. Inside every ones life, is the true bareness of our souls before our Lord. Nothing, absolutely nothing can be hidden from Him. Do you not know that God made us for Heaven, He made us to be with Him. Our time here is short, but its short, I think so that the pain of it, is but a mere spec of time in our eternal lives. But it is this mere spec of time, where we are tested, and put to the fire, to see how worthy we are indeed before our Lord. Before you can reward an honest (child or worker or friend or anyone) with something special; you first test their honesty, their character, their integrity. You put them to the fire of truth, see if they can with stand the fury of the world, and the pain it inflicts, and still stand strong in the truth. It is God's goodness and mercy that makes all these things possible. God loves us so much and He wants all of us to be with Him in Heaven.
We must all be unselfish enough to be able to follow the commandments God has given us. No matter what our life is, full of earthly poverty or full of earthly wealth, all of that has no value in Heaven. In the end we can not hide from God or avoid Him. But we can allow time to be on our side or we can waste it away and lose it as fast as it comes our way. We make that choice. We can not be so arrogant to think that we can hide in the shadow's of our sins and because no one here on earth seen us, we are in the clear with being judged. WRONG. God is ever present everywhere, especially where our hearts and minds spend the most of our time. "His eyes are on the ways of men; he sees their every step. There is no dark place, no deep shadow, where evildoers can hide. God has no need to examine men further, that they should come before him for judgment." Job 34:21-23.
All we got to do is live a life in full preparation to pass that final pop quiz, and it will be a pop quiz. No one knows the day or the hour, not only of Jesus' return, but also of our own death. We can study and prepare for that great quiz and be ready right now or first thing in the morning; only to find out fifty years later we are still alive and the exam we were ready for then, we are not ready for now. Life is far to short, and goes by far too fast. Get prepared, be prepared and stay prepared at all times. Here's a good first step for us, to always be prepared, "He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30. Place your life in God's hands, trust Him. This life is wonderful, we get to met and be friends with some really amazing people. These relationships, this fellowship, can either drown us or raise us. We can determine that. No one can say to the over eater who always has a stomach ache, "Eat, keep eating !!", the actions and penalty of those actions are all done by the one who has the free will to do so. Same with God. Love Him, Honor Him, or turn away from Him, your choice. If the sign says STOP and you GO, there could be bad consequences or their could be a grave one. Either way a price will be paid. Stay fully focused on Jesus while you are here, because when we leave here, that opportunity will no longer be there for us to make.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Life Is Far Too Short
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Recognize Temptation 2/5
Hello Everyone,
Yesterday's blog was powerful indeed wasn't it. Now let's take this recognizing temptation to the next level. Let us place it in a sort of "time capsule". When I say time, I mean time by how much time we have while we are here. See once you capsulize it and look at the minuet fraction of time that it really is, in full retrospect of all of eternity. We find out that this little tiny sliver of time is what determines of eternal destination of existence. We are all eternal beings, but where our eternity will be, will be determined by the choices we make here and now. "Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes." Luke 12:23, how true is that? Life is so much more than just what we hunger for while we are here. And life is so much than what we cover our time and space with. "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14, just like the smoke I was talking about yesterday. But continue those thoughts; it's visibly here for a while, and then it's gone for good. No one knows where it went to, and it'll never have the ability to ever return. Pretty deep stuff. LOL
In this life we are surrounded by many things. Most of which seem to inflict sorrow, or pain in some form. No matter how perfect we may think our lives are, and how much our lives seem to have all our needs met. Inside every ones life, is the true bareness of our souls before our Lord. Nothing, absolutely nothing can be hidden from Him. Do you not know that God made us for Heaven, He made us to be with Him. Our time here is short, but its short, I think so that the pain of it, is but a mere spec of time in our eternal lives. But it is this mere spec of time, where we are tested, and put to the fire, to see how worthy we are indeed before our Lord. Before you can reward an honest (child or worker or friend or anyone) with something special; you first test their honesty, their character, their integrity. You put them to the fire of truth, see if they can with stand the fury of the world, and the pain it inflicts, and still stand strong in the truth. It is God's goodness and mercy that makes all these things possible. God loves us so much and He wants all of us to be with Him in Heaven.
We must all be unselfish enough to be able to follow the commandments God has given us. No matter what our life is, full of earthly poverty or full of earthly wealth, all of that has no value in Heaven. In the end we can not hide from God or avoid Him. But we can allow time to be on our side or we can waste it away and lose it as fast as it comes our way. We make that choice. We can not be so arrogant to think that we can hide in the shadow's of our sins and because no one here on earth seen us, we are in the clear with being judged. WRONG. God is ever present everywhere, especially where our hearts and minds spend the most of our time. "His eyes are on the ways of men; he sees their every step. There is no dark place, no deep shadow, where evildoers can hide. God has no need to examine men further, that they should come before him for judgment." Job 34:21-23.
All we got to do is live a life in full preparation to pass that final pop quiz, and it will be a pop quiz. No one knows the day or the hour, not only of Jesus' return, but also of our own death. We can study and prepare for that great quiz and be ready right now or first thing in the morning; only to find out fifty years later we are still alive and the exam we were ready for then, we are not ready for now. Life is far to short, and goes by far too fast. Get prepared, be prepared and stay prepared at all times. Here's a good first step for us, to always be prepared, "He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30. Place your life in God's hands, trust Him. This life is wonderful, we get to met and be friends with some really amazing people. These relationships, this fellowship, can either drown us or raise us. We can determine that. No one can say to the over eater who always has a stomach ache, "Eat, keep eating !!", the actions and penalty of those actions are all done by the one who has the free will to do so. Same with God. Love Him, Honor Him, or turn away from Him, your choice. If the sign says STOP and you GO, there could be bad consequences or their could be a grave one. Either way a price will be paid. Stay fully focused on Jesus while you are here, because when we leave here, that opportunity will no longer be there for us to make.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Monday, May 3, 2010
Temptation Is Not Sin
Beads of Joy 05-03-10
Temptation Is Not Sin
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Recognize Temptation 1/5
Hello Everyone,
We plainly know that temptation in and of itself isn't sin. For the most part most people know that it's usually temptation that leads us to sin. But once we are faced with temptation, we can plainly see that temptations has a way to bring out of us; a certain appetite we'd rather deny and avoid. In doing that we can see that recognizing how temptation will play a significant role in helping us defeat and stop temptation dead in its tracks. If you are like me, and chocolate is a weakness of yours and it tends to lead you into being a glutton like me; eating way too much of it selfishly. Why would you put yourself in harms way, by being alone at a candy store, or in the candy isle in Wal-Mart. LOL. Ok that example wasn't a hardcore one, it was a rather light hearted way to see the bigger picture, that leads many of us to the sins Jesus warns of us. Jesus said, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Matthew 26:41 Oh how true that is, the body is weak, the body has a mind of it's own in it's own desires and demands. So much to think about.
What kind of camouflage do our temptations approach us in? Are we able to identify a temptation in it's earliest stages so we can stop it? Do you realize that satan never tires when it comes to tempting us? I ask all these questions to have us think more about all these things. We must master our knowledge of our own selves. What are our weaknesses? What situations draw us into certain sins? Temptation is not sin, we know that; but same goes for alcohol, it isn't murder. It's the connecting of the dots, should we allow it; that make the two become one in the same. Temptations become sin when we embrace those feelings, know that they are leading us to sin, and we follow through anyway. Alcohol works the same way; we know it can impair our vision and our choices, and it can lead to dangerous circumstances. But we drink anyway, and then we drive regardless. And so risk the chance of killing someone. (I don't drink at all) We need to develop the ability in our life when it comes to temptation, to be able to see it, foresee it's consequences and then avoid it. Sin has a way of coming into our lives, and we (the sinner) have a way of just letting it in. I apologize if I over use movie scripts, but sometimes God allows the things we interact with, to send us a message that honors Him, I almost know this movie also verbatim to. I love the movie Fireproof, more so these past few weeks, look at what Katherine said to Kaleb.
Kaleb- Well you're wrong, you never assume that I would do anything worthy of respect! Anything honorable!!
Katherine - Honorable! Honorable? What were you just looking at Kaleb? What was on that computer screen? Was that honorable? Who do you think you're fooling? Do you know why your sweet little jester mean nothing to me, because that's the kind of man you've become. When you're alone that's what you default to, and there is nothing honorable about it.
Wow !!! That speaks volumes to many of us don't it. Just change the people saying those words and change the sin and this little ditty of script jumps out and bites you. Let's take out Kaleb's name and put in ours, and take out Katherine's name and put in God or Jesus. Now that makes this even more spiritually powerful doesn't it. And replace what your looking at, with what your holding, what you're saying, wow, we can really make this flexible to our own challenges to have us almost cry about how hurtful and mean they are when we do them directly against God. Here's an example:
Jim- Well you're wrong, you never assume that I would do anything worthy of respect. Anything honorable.
Jesus - Honorable! Honorable? What were you just looking at Jim? ? Was that honorable? Who do you think you're fooling? Do you know why your sweet little spiritual jesters mean nothing to me, because that's the kind of man you've become in my sight. When you're alone that's what you default to, and there is nothing honorable about it. I see and know all things Jim.
I got tell you, today, on a very personal note with this blog, I used that script and inserted ALL my sins, ALL my weaknesses, and all I seem to do is want to cry, my eyes won't stop tearing. Knowing how much I love my Lord, yet I do not honorably worship Him, and His commandments always. Instead I offend Him and turn from Him, when the temptations in my own life lead me away from Him. What a direct impact my own words with God's help, have affected my own life. This has been very moving for me to write, I pray that it is touching your heart in the same way.
Have the vain hopes and desires of this world misled us? How can we possibly allow the treasures and lusts of this earthly life tempt us to sin, and to offend God so viciously, and so violently? These vain thoughts are usually capitalized under that one letter, "I". Because it's usually the "i" in pride that leads us to the "i" in sin, and both of them are in the center of those words, making "i" the center of what we do. Yes I agree having things and money are needed and important no doubt in order to live, but remember these things don't last forever. Think of the things of this earth this way. Smoke draws a lot of attention; a forest fire, a bundle of wood, anything that makes smoke. So many people are drawn to see it, many are in awe of it when they look at it. But after a while, what happens to the smoke? ITS GONE.. and you really have no idea where it went, and what are you left with? ashes, dust, nothing. See what I mean. I came up with that while praying as I was writing this. We can be so easily tricked and mislead by satan. Temptation is not sin. Do not allow it to turn into sin in your own life. Every chance you get to stop it, stop it for the love you have for Jesus. I pray that you have all been touched by all this, as much as I have.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Temptation Is Not Sin
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Recognize Temptation 1/5
Hello Everyone,
We plainly know that temptation in and of itself isn't sin. For the most part most people know that it's usually temptation that leads us to sin. But once we are faced with temptation, we can plainly see that temptations has a way to bring out of us; a certain appetite we'd rather deny and avoid. In doing that we can see that recognizing how temptation will play a significant role in helping us defeat and stop temptation dead in its tracks. If you are like me, and chocolate is a weakness of yours and it tends to lead you into being a glutton like me; eating way too much of it selfishly. Why would you put yourself in harms way, by being alone at a candy store, or in the candy isle in Wal-Mart. LOL. Ok that example wasn't a hardcore one, it was a rather light hearted way to see the bigger picture, that leads many of us to the sins Jesus warns of us. Jesus said, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Matthew 26:41 Oh how true that is, the body is weak, the body has a mind of it's own in it's own desires and demands. So much to think about.
What kind of camouflage do our temptations approach us in? Are we able to identify a temptation in it's earliest stages so we can stop it? Do you realize that satan never tires when it comes to tempting us? I ask all these questions to have us think more about all these things. We must master our knowledge of our own selves. What are our weaknesses? What situations draw us into certain sins? Temptation is not sin, we know that; but same goes for alcohol, it isn't murder. It's the connecting of the dots, should we allow it; that make the two become one in the same. Temptations become sin when we embrace those feelings, know that they are leading us to sin, and we follow through anyway. Alcohol works the same way; we know it can impair our vision and our choices, and it can lead to dangerous circumstances. But we drink anyway, and then we drive regardless. And so risk the chance of killing someone. (I don't drink at all) We need to develop the ability in our life when it comes to temptation, to be able to see it, foresee it's consequences and then avoid it. Sin has a way of coming into our lives, and we (the sinner) have a way of just letting it in. I apologize if I over use movie scripts, but sometimes God allows the things we interact with, to send us a message that honors Him, I almost know this movie also verbatim to. I love the movie Fireproof, more so these past few weeks, look at what Katherine said to Kaleb.
Kaleb- Well you're wrong, you never assume that I would do anything worthy of respect! Anything honorable!!
Katherine - Honorable! Honorable? What were you just looking at Kaleb? What was on that computer screen? Was that honorable? Who do you think you're fooling? Do you know why your sweet little jester mean nothing to me, because that's the kind of man you've become. When you're alone that's what you default to, and there is nothing honorable about it.
Wow !!! That speaks volumes to many of us don't it. Just change the people saying those words and change the sin and this little ditty of script jumps out and bites you. Let's take out Kaleb's name and put in ours, and take out Katherine's name and put in God or Jesus. Now that makes this even more spiritually powerful doesn't it. And replace what your looking at, with what your holding, what you're saying, wow, we can really make this flexible to our own challenges to have us almost cry about how hurtful and mean they are when we do them directly against God. Here's an example:
Jim- Well you're wrong, you never assume that I would do anything worthy of respect. Anything honorable.
Jesus - Honorable! Honorable? What were you just looking at Jim? ? Was that honorable? Who do you think you're fooling? Do you know why your sweet little spiritual jesters mean nothing to me, because that's the kind of man you've become in my sight. When you're alone that's what you default to, and there is nothing honorable about it. I see and know all things Jim.
I got tell you, today, on a very personal note with this blog, I used that script and inserted ALL my sins, ALL my weaknesses, and all I seem to do is want to cry, my eyes won't stop tearing. Knowing how much I love my Lord, yet I do not honorably worship Him, and His commandments always. Instead I offend Him and turn from Him, when the temptations in my own life lead me away from Him. What a direct impact my own words with God's help, have affected my own life. This has been very moving for me to write, I pray that it is touching your heart in the same way.
Have the vain hopes and desires of this world misled us? How can we possibly allow the treasures and lusts of this earthly life tempt us to sin, and to offend God so viciously, and so violently? These vain thoughts are usually capitalized under that one letter, "I". Because it's usually the "i" in pride that leads us to the "i" in sin, and both of them are in the center of those words, making "i" the center of what we do. Yes I agree having things and money are needed and important no doubt in order to live, but remember these things don't last forever. Think of the things of this earth this way. Smoke draws a lot of attention; a forest fire, a bundle of wood, anything that makes smoke. So many people are drawn to see it, many are in awe of it when they look at it. But after a while, what happens to the smoke? ITS GONE.. and you really have no idea where it went, and what are you left with? ashes, dust, nothing. See what I mean. I came up with that while praying as I was writing this. We can be so easily tricked and mislead by satan. Temptation is not sin. Do not allow it to turn into sin in your own life. Every chance you get to stop it, stop it for the love you have for Jesus. I pray that you have all been touched by all this, as much as I have.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Love Others First Always
Beads of Joy 05-02-10
Love Others First Always
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
Today we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Easter. A new and final farewell commandment is being presented to us today. Sunday's are always fantastic and wonderful, a day devoted and spent praising Jesus. Whoever came up with this "Sunday" idea was a genius. LOL! Though all seven days should be technically treated the same. Today's gospel can be found in John 13:31-35 (Jesus' Farewell Command). We learn so much from our Lord, we can see that Jesus is teaching us how much joy can be found in offering up our life, and becoming a sacrifice for others. It's a tough pill to swallow no doubt. I think it really needs to be a very instilled part of who we are to accept it. I am not a saint by no means, and I don't want a pat on the back. But after 27 years Jesus, and scripture and the rosary in my life. I would instinctively put anothers life before my own to save theirs. And I'm not only talking about family and close friends. Anybody !! I know I haven't always felt this way, but the more my spiritual life matures and the closer I feel like I am getting to Jesus, the more ready, willingly and able I feel that way.
How much more can God do to show us how much He loves us? By Him allowing His only Son to be crucified and killed for our sins to save us; it's just beyond anything anyone else would ever do for love. So today we seem to be reflecting on "unselfishness". Now that's a word you don't hear to often in today's world. Unselfishness is all about loving others before yourself. I think we as Catholics need to be living this part of our life more openly and obvious. Not to fall into the sin of pride, or wait to hear trumpets saluting our kindness and love; but to be able to show everyone that we are Christians. How's that song go, "They will know we are Christians by our love.." So let us live a life just like that. Jesus needs to be the first person they see, when they see us. There's a story Fr. Larry Richards shares, I apologize for not having all the exact details, but here's the gist of the story. There was an American man in a concentration camp, and he was sharing a cell with a Japanese man. Well the Japanese man was treated harshly and beat almost to death each day, because he was on America's side in the war. Well the American sharing the cell each night use to clean up the Japanese mans wounds and help feed him. Towards the end the American knew the Japanese man wasn't going to make it through the night, and he wanted to share Jesus with him. When he did, the Japanese man said, "If this Jesus you are speaking of is anything like you, I want to know him." They will know we are Christians by our love !!!!
We can do it, I know we can. By God's grace and mercy, we can live that kind of a life everyday. This past week we learned so much about the Holy Spirit that dwells inside all of us. There is a part of us, that is of God. Let us bring out that part and let it shine for all to see. Let me refer to an absolute favorite movie of mine, I can say this entire movie, verbatim, no lie, ask anyone in my home. Am I a sick individual or what. LOL. I must have watched this movie thousands of times over the past 25 years, and I still watch it, I just love the message. You all remember "It's a Wonderful Life", well in this particular scene after George Bailey's dad (Peter Bailey) died, there was a meeting at the Building and Loans, and George said this to Mr Potter, "Just a minute, now hold on, just a minute, now you are right to say my father was no businessman, I know that. Why he ever started this cheap penny ani business and loan I'll never know. But either you or anybody else can say anything about his character, because his whole life was... why in the 25 years since he and Uncle Billy started this thing, he never once thought about himself, ain't that right Uncle Billy.." his speech was much longer, this was one of my favorite scenes. George is standing up defending his father's honor, speaking of his unselfish ways that he lived his life. Telling Mr. Potter that his father died a much richer man than he'll ever be.
Wouldn't we all want to be such a dynamic example for our kids, our family, our friends, our community. Being unselfish isn't easy, but it can be if we try. It's really a simple concept. Let's say you're going out to pickup a few things for the house, you grab the list on the refrigerator, and before you go, you say, "Does anybody need or want anything?" You know when you go, the chances are when you are at the store, you may end up picking up something, you needed or wanted for yourself. So now instead of that good deed of shopping turning into a chance for you to also shop for yourself, turn the experience around and make it also a trip to grab some things for others first. See this "unselfishness" thing isn't really all that hard to incorporate into our lives. I have spoken about living the life of J.O.Y., Jesus first, Others second, You last. I believe in it dearly. I am a very simple man, with a very low maintenance life, you can be this way to. I find so much joy living this way. The world does not revolve around me, I know that. Now all we have to do is live that. Here are some helpful scriptures, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10, "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart." 1 Peter 1:22.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Love Others First Always
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Hello Everyone,
Today we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Easter. A new and final farewell commandment is being presented to us today. Sunday's are always fantastic and wonderful, a day devoted and spent praising Jesus. Whoever came up with this "Sunday" idea was a genius. LOL! Though all seven days should be technically treated the same. Today's gospel can be found in John 13:31-35 (Jesus' Farewell Command). We learn so much from our Lord, we can see that Jesus is teaching us how much joy can be found in offering up our life, and becoming a sacrifice for others. It's a tough pill to swallow no doubt. I think it really needs to be a very instilled part of who we are to accept it. I am not a saint by no means, and I don't want a pat on the back. But after 27 years Jesus, and scripture and the rosary in my life. I would instinctively put anothers life before my own to save theirs. And I'm not only talking about family and close friends. Anybody !! I know I haven't always felt this way, but the more my spiritual life matures and the closer I feel like I am getting to Jesus, the more ready, willingly and able I feel that way.
How much more can God do to show us how much He loves us? By Him allowing His only Son to be crucified and killed for our sins to save us; it's just beyond anything anyone else would ever do for love. So today we seem to be reflecting on "unselfishness". Now that's a word you don't hear to often in today's world. Unselfishness is all about loving others before yourself. I think we as Catholics need to be living this part of our life more openly and obvious. Not to fall into the sin of pride, or wait to hear trumpets saluting our kindness and love; but to be able to show everyone that we are Christians. How's that song go, "They will know we are Christians by our love.." So let us live a life just like that. Jesus needs to be the first person they see, when they see us. There's a story Fr. Larry Richards shares, I apologize for not having all the exact details, but here's the gist of the story. There was an American man in a concentration camp, and he was sharing a cell with a Japanese man. Well the Japanese man was treated harshly and beat almost to death each day, because he was on America's side in the war. Well the American sharing the cell each night use to clean up the Japanese mans wounds and help feed him. Towards the end the American knew the Japanese man wasn't going to make it through the night, and he wanted to share Jesus with him. When he did, the Japanese man said, "If this Jesus you are speaking of is anything like you, I want to know him." They will know we are Christians by our love !!!!
We can do it, I know we can. By God's grace and mercy, we can live that kind of a life everyday. This past week we learned so much about the Holy Spirit that dwells inside all of us. There is a part of us, that is of God. Let us bring out that part and let it shine for all to see. Let me refer to an absolute favorite movie of mine, I can say this entire movie, verbatim, no lie, ask anyone in my home. Am I a sick individual or what. LOL. I must have watched this movie thousands of times over the past 25 years, and I still watch it, I just love the message. You all remember "It's a Wonderful Life", well in this particular scene after George Bailey's dad (Peter Bailey) died, there was a meeting at the Building and Loans, and George said this to Mr Potter, "Just a minute, now hold on, just a minute, now you are right to say my father was no businessman, I know that. Why he ever started this cheap penny ani business and loan I'll never know. But either you or anybody else can say anything about his character, because his whole life was... why in the 25 years since he and Uncle Billy started this thing, he never once thought about himself, ain't that right Uncle Billy.." his speech was much longer, this was one of my favorite scenes. George is standing up defending his father's honor, speaking of his unselfish ways that he lived his life. Telling Mr. Potter that his father died a much richer man than he'll ever be.
Wouldn't we all want to be such a dynamic example for our kids, our family, our friends, our community. Being unselfish isn't easy, but it can be if we try. It's really a simple concept. Let's say you're going out to pickup a few things for the house, you grab the list on the refrigerator, and before you go, you say, "Does anybody need or want anything?" You know when you go, the chances are when you are at the store, you may end up picking up something, you needed or wanted for yourself. So now instead of that good deed of shopping turning into a chance for you to also shop for yourself, turn the experience around and make it also a trip to grab some things for others first. See this "unselfishness" thing isn't really all that hard to incorporate into our lives. I have spoken about living the life of J.O.Y., Jesus first, Others second, You last. I believe in it dearly. I am a very simple man, with a very low maintenance life, you can be this way to. I find so much joy living this way. The world does not revolve around me, I know that. Now all we have to do is live that. Here are some helpful scriptures, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10, "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart." 1 Peter 1:22.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Debra Hill (dear friend)
Beads of Joy 05-01-10
Dedication Days - Debra Hill Moore (dear friend)
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Dedication Days
Hello Everyone,
Welcome to yet another fantastic day for me to give dedication to someone well deserving of it. I could write many pages for today's precious soul. I will keep it as short as I possibly can, but the whole story gives you the best insight to one of God's most precious souls. Debbie has since gone to be with the Lord, far too young and she is missed by many friends and mostly by her three precious kids, Philip, Joseph and Miranda. I use to work with Debbie for many years in the Seneca Niagara Casino, when we lived in Niagara Falls, NY. She was my supervisor, and a very dear friend. Here's how I first met her. >> My boss (Mike) met me at the Human Resources office at the casino, the day before I started, he said to me, "Be at the Security Podium at 3am tomorrow, Debbie your supervisor will meet you there." Well I did as I was told, I got there, sat and waited; in the interim I met many of my soon to be new friends. Mind you we are all wearing these black, with gold trim one piece jump suits, with no pockets. I worked in the vault so the rules were strick, and they had 35 cameras monitoring us. Anyhow, as we were chatting, coming around the corner, there was this very beautiful, young (she's my age) looking, very attractive blonde (super bleach long blonde hair), in a gold jump suit with black trim. I was like, "Wow, who's this?" I tend to be drawn to blondes, it's a weakness of mine, ok I admit that.
Needless to say I was very happy that Debbie was going to be my supervisor and trainer. Maybe I initiated the flirtation, or maybe she did, either way we became almost instant good friends, spending all our work hours (countless hours for years) talking. She was at the time we first met going through a very bad divorce with a man who was abusing her physically and verbally. I kept my distance, but gave her unwavering support, a shoulder to lean and an ear to listen. She and I had two common friends that we worked with, (Jackie and Brian) of which were friends of ours through Our Lady of Fatima's Shrine in Lewiston, the place I speak of all the time, where Fr. Peter is. I volunteered there a lot, I was also a Eucharistic Minister there. So I and they told Debbie all about my big family, and that I wasn't available. LOL. So Debbie and I kept a very respectable, fun flirtatious relationship the entire time we knew each other. I admit I liked a lot, she was a sweetheart, no doubt; for my heart ached at the pain she was suffering at home, no one deserves to be treated that way. So in the background I was always praying for her everyday. She never seemed to want to pursue anything to do with her faith or Jesus related, she was born and raised a Roman Catholic, all I could do was pray for her, and talk to her about Jesus. There was one time late in our friendship that she pulled me aside and said others in our group mentioned my name in regards to planning something to have her fired; people can be so mean. She wanted to see what was said. I looked her straight into her eyes and said, "Deb are you kidding me, my allegiance is with you, I am on your side, I always got your back, how can you ever think otherwise. I have no idea what's going, but I will find out for you." She looked me back in my eyes, with tears in hers, saying,"I knew you'd never hurt me, I just wanted to hear it from you. Thank you." That situation further solidifying and bonded our friendship. I honestly would never hurt her, this poor girl was suffering enough. She never asked for help, but she needed emotional support and friends she can rely on.
I must admit there was a certain magic in our friendship, she knew everything there was to know about me, as I did her, she always use to say she wanted one more baby. No, nothing ever happened, not even close!!! She knew my faith, my story with my love for Jesus, and my love for our Blessed Mother, making rosaries, and my devotion and love to my family; we really talked to each other covering pretty much every aspect of each others lives. We had so much in common. I always tried to get her to come back to church, but she always said she would but never did. And then as I had hoped and prayed, one Sunday at Mass at the shrine, who was sitting in the last row with our friend Brian, It was Debbie!! I was like,"Chrissy look, it's Debbie !!" Chrissy was never a big fan like I was. LOL. I told Chrissy everything about how Debbie was making her moves on me when I first met her, I guess guys just get goofy around pretty girls; but I also told Chrissy never to worry, we're just really good friends, and she trusted me. But she knew that Debbie and I spent many hours a week together talking and she knew Debbie had been divorced by this time. But I was a good boy, a very good boy. Debbie was kind of a cross between a close sister and a married woman I loved and adored; meaning nothing could, would or have ever happened between us, we were family. Anyhow, Debbie was all shy that day at Mass, and she didn't want to talk, she just waved and was gone before Mass was even over. A couple weeks later she said that she'd like to have coffee with me one day after work, I just looked at her with my smirk. She was like,"Not that, this isn't a date.". LOL. She then told me, "You said something to me that really changed my life and I wanted to tell you all about it." I was like,"Was it for the good?", she was like, "Absolutely!" She then said, "I really want to share this with you, it's changed my life." Well within a couple months of that, I left that job to take on a management position to a local business, it had normal day hours and better pay.
After I left the casino, I only saw Debbie every once in a while at Wal-Mart or the Dollar Store, and I always use to see all my other friends from the casino. I always asked about everyone, most especially Debbie. We saw each other one final time at the shrine, and we committed to getting together for coffee, so she can tell about how her life is now and how it has changed, but we never did. About a year went by and I was still seeing everyone from time to time throughout the area; we all lived in the same area, shopped the same stores. Then this one final time we as a family ran into Jackie in Wal-Mart. I was like,"Hey Jackie !!" always big hugs for my Shrine sister Jackie. She then backed off and looked so sad, or befuddled. I was like,"Is everything OK?" she said,"Did you hear about Debbie?" I gave her a huge smile and even a little giggle, "Tell me, is she finally having another baby, like she always wanted." Jackie almost cried looking at me, all serious, I said, "What happened Jackie?", I didn't know what to think, she looked at me shocked, "You don't know?" I was lost now, "Don't know what?". She held her head down and said, "Debbie passed away." I was crushed, I mean literally like my heart was being crushed in a vise. I didn't know what to say, the entire rest of that day went blank on me, I honestly don't recall it. My heart and my head couldn't believe what I was hearing. A young beautiful woman I adored, a hard working single mom, who has just come back to our Lord, is gone now. I cried and cried and cried and I still get a tear every once in a while thinking about her. I am always praying for her and her kids. I can't fully explain the connection we had, but we just did. I'm sure she is so happy with Jesus, I so wanted her precious heart and soul to be with Him.
And I never got to know what it is that I said to her that changed her life. For years now that has bothered me like crazy, I only hope that whatever I said to her to help encourage her faith I have said again and again to others. I just wish I knew exactly what it was I said. I think that's part of the inner sharing part of me now, that just keeps sharing. I really try my best to share a lot, and I try to do all I can to help direct others to Jesus. I always pray asking guidance with my words, thinking about the depths of so much of my faith I shared with Debbie.
Also whenever I hear Barry Manilow or Johnny Mathis, I immediately think of Debbie, she use to play so many of their CD's at work; and oh my god, she could not carry a note, but I think she did all that for the laughs. She was incredible. And in the end I just know Jesus got to enjoy that special quality about her. I pray that she got super big hugs in Heaven upon her arrival.
Today I salute you: Debbie Hill Moore
Who has since gone to be with the Lord.
You are always, always, always in my heart and you always in my prayers.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
Dedication Days - Debra Hill Moore (dear friend)
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO
Dedication Days
Hello Everyone,
Welcome to yet another fantastic day for me to give dedication to someone well deserving of it. I could write many pages for today's precious soul. I will keep it as short as I possibly can, but the whole story gives you the best insight to one of God's most precious souls. Debbie has since gone to be with the Lord, far too young and she is missed by many friends and mostly by her three precious kids, Philip, Joseph and Miranda. I use to work with Debbie for many years in the Seneca Niagara Casino, when we lived in Niagara Falls, NY. She was my supervisor, and a very dear friend. Here's how I first met her. >> My boss (Mike) met me at the Human Resources office at the casino, the day before I started, he said to me, "Be at the Security Podium at 3am tomorrow, Debbie your supervisor will meet you there." Well I did as I was told, I got there, sat and waited; in the interim I met many of my soon to be new friends. Mind you we are all wearing these black, with gold trim one piece jump suits, with no pockets. I worked in the vault so the rules were strick, and they had 35 cameras monitoring us. Anyhow, as we were chatting, coming around the corner, there was this very beautiful, young (she's my age) looking, very attractive blonde (super bleach long blonde hair), in a gold jump suit with black trim. I was like, "Wow, who's this?" I tend to be drawn to blondes, it's a weakness of mine, ok I admit that.
Needless to say I was very happy that Debbie was going to be my supervisor and trainer. Maybe I initiated the flirtation, or maybe she did, either way we became almost instant good friends, spending all our work hours (countless hours for years) talking. She was at the time we first met going through a very bad divorce with a man who was abusing her physically and verbally. I kept my distance, but gave her unwavering support, a shoulder to lean and an ear to listen. She and I had two common friends that we worked with, (Jackie and Brian) of which were friends of ours through Our Lady of Fatima's Shrine in Lewiston, the place I speak of all the time, where Fr. Peter is. I volunteered there a lot, I was also a Eucharistic Minister there. So I and they told Debbie all about my big family, and that I wasn't available. LOL. So Debbie and I kept a very respectable, fun flirtatious relationship the entire time we knew each other. I admit I liked a lot, she was a sweetheart, no doubt; for my heart ached at the pain she was suffering at home, no one deserves to be treated that way. So in the background I was always praying for her everyday. She never seemed to want to pursue anything to do with her faith or Jesus related, she was born and raised a Roman Catholic, all I could do was pray for her, and talk to her about Jesus. There was one time late in our friendship that she pulled me aside and said others in our group mentioned my name in regards to planning something to have her fired; people can be so mean. She wanted to see what was said. I looked her straight into her eyes and said, "Deb are you kidding me, my allegiance is with you, I am on your side, I always got your back, how can you ever think otherwise. I have no idea what's going, but I will find out for you." She looked me back in my eyes, with tears in hers, saying,"I knew you'd never hurt me, I just wanted to hear it from you. Thank you." That situation further solidifying and bonded our friendship. I honestly would never hurt her, this poor girl was suffering enough. She never asked for help, but she needed emotional support and friends she can rely on.
I must admit there was a certain magic in our friendship, she knew everything there was to know about me, as I did her, she always use to say she wanted one more baby. No, nothing ever happened, not even close!!! She knew my faith, my story with my love for Jesus, and my love for our Blessed Mother, making rosaries, and my devotion and love to my family; we really talked to each other covering pretty much every aspect of each others lives. We had so much in common. I always tried to get her to come back to church, but she always said she would but never did. And then as I had hoped and prayed, one Sunday at Mass at the shrine, who was sitting in the last row with our friend Brian, It was Debbie!! I was like,"Chrissy look, it's Debbie !!" Chrissy was never a big fan like I was. LOL. I told Chrissy everything about how Debbie was making her moves on me when I first met her, I guess guys just get goofy around pretty girls; but I also told Chrissy never to worry, we're just really good friends, and she trusted me. But she knew that Debbie and I spent many hours a week together talking and she knew Debbie had been divorced by this time. But I was a good boy, a very good boy. Debbie was kind of a cross between a close sister and a married woman I loved and adored; meaning nothing could, would or have ever happened between us, we were family. Anyhow, Debbie was all shy that day at Mass, and she didn't want to talk, she just waved and was gone before Mass was even over. A couple weeks later she said that she'd like to have coffee with me one day after work, I just looked at her with my smirk. She was like,"Not that, this isn't a date.". LOL. She then told me, "You said something to me that really changed my life and I wanted to tell you all about it." I was like,"Was it for the good?", she was like, "Absolutely!" She then said, "I really want to share this with you, it's changed my life." Well within a couple months of that, I left that job to take on a management position to a local business, it had normal day hours and better pay.
After I left the casino, I only saw Debbie every once in a while at Wal-Mart or the Dollar Store, and I always use to see all my other friends from the casino. I always asked about everyone, most especially Debbie. We saw each other one final time at the shrine, and we committed to getting together for coffee, so she can tell about how her life is now and how it has changed, but we never did. About a year went by and I was still seeing everyone from time to time throughout the area; we all lived in the same area, shopped the same stores. Then this one final time we as a family ran into Jackie in Wal-Mart. I was like,"Hey Jackie !!" always big hugs for my Shrine sister Jackie. She then backed off and looked so sad, or befuddled. I was like,"Is everything OK?" she said,"Did you hear about Debbie?" I gave her a huge smile and even a little giggle, "Tell me, is she finally having another baby, like she always wanted." Jackie almost cried looking at me, all serious, I said, "What happened Jackie?", I didn't know what to think, she looked at me shocked, "You don't know?" I was lost now, "Don't know what?". She held her head down and said, "Debbie passed away." I was crushed, I mean literally like my heart was being crushed in a vise. I didn't know what to say, the entire rest of that day went blank on me, I honestly don't recall it. My heart and my head couldn't believe what I was hearing. A young beautiful woman I adored, a hard working single mom, who has just come back to our Lord, is gone now. I cried and cried and cried and I still get a tear every once in a while thinking about her. I am always praying for her and her kids. I can't fully explain the connection we had, but we just did. I'm sure she is so happy with Jesus, I so wanted her precious heart and soul to be with Him.
And I never got to know what it is that I said to her that changed her life. For years now that has bothered me like crazy, I only hope that whatever I said to her to help encourage her faith I have said again and again to others. I just wish I knew exactly what it was I said. I think that's part of the inner sharing part of me now, that just keeps sharing. I really try my best to share a lot, and I try to do all I can to help direct others to Jesus. I always pray asking guidance with my words, thinking about the depths of so much of my faith I shared with Debbie.
Also whenever I hear Barry Manilow or Johnny Mathis, I immediately think of Debbie, she use to play so many of their CD's at work; and oh my god, she could not carry a note, but I think she did all that for the laughs. She was incredible. And in the end I just know Jesus got to enjoy that special quality about her. I pray that she got super big hugs in Heaven upon her arrival.
Today I salute you: Debbie Hill Moore
Who has since gone to be with the Lord.
You are always, always, always in my heart and you always in my prayers.
Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO
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