The Thornhill Family in Friendswood, Texas:
After 21 years of marriage and 4 of the best blessings in the world, the most important man in our life passed away November 29, 2010. After an overwhelming support from friends, family & the community, we were left to face our first Christmas without our Dad/Husband.
Per tradition we left to go to our grandparents for Christmas Eve. A difficult evening to face, but going in with our heads held as high as possible. After leaving early and in a heart-broken atmosphere, we pulled into our drive way to find a path of candles leading to the front door. The doorway was lit up with red and green lights, and our doorstep covered with over 80 Christmas Jars. All filled with hope, love, & faith.
The jars kept arriving until 2am, and are still coming as we speak. After bringing them all in, me and my 4 children read the meaning from the book “Christmas Jars” and opened them 1 at a time. Sharing verses, notes, and kind words from all the different Jars. Our hearts were filled with warmth during what seemed to be such a hard time.
We were not only touched by the notes, but also by the countless gift cards, coins, cash, candy, and food. Most of all though, we were amazed at how what will probably be the saddest Christmas for our family will also be the most memorable. Memorable because God poured his love on to our family & wrapped us with thoughts and prayers that were so overwhelming they actually lifted our spirits. We thank each and every Christmas Jar Angel that stopped by our house, because they saw a need and choose to serve. May God Bless each and every one of them. We know our dad is smiling from above.
Christmas Jars
A tradition based on the novel by Jason F. Wright
My father passed away in August after a 2yr battle with cancer. He was the rock of our family, a kind and gentle man. The kindnesses we recceived after his death were humbling and seemed never ending. Five weeks after his death I was dignoised with breast cancer and began a journey I'd never imagined taking.
The Thursday before Christmas I had a chemo treatment which of course made me so very sick. I spent the night cryin and praying the God would get me through this and asking Him how can I do this and see it to the end.
I went into work for a few hours on Christmas Eve day to find my desk covered with cards well wishes and gifts. In the center of all this was the most beautiful gift in red & white and what was inside filled my heart. A Christmas jar and the accompanying book. What a gift!
I asked my mom when does all this kindness stop? Her reply "Never, it's God's love working through His people." God did answer my prayers, I'm never alone He is with me always and His people will lift me up when I can't lift myself.
Thank you to whomever left my Christmas jar, I'm sicerel touched and humbled. You made a tough Christmas one of memories and one of blessings both old and new.
Today, I received a Christmas Jar at my door.
I lost my mom the end of October, she and dad had lived with us and she truly was the matriarch of our family.. but suddenly she was gone. 10 days later.. I lost my job and I sit here at home though blessed with the birth of 2 grandchildren this year.. feeling lost broken hearted and in fear of what tomorrow will bring. But, through the heart of a distant friend, a Christmas jar found its way to my house and caused me to do some research since I had never heard about the Christmas Jars.. Today, though in tears.. the thought that someone cared enough to reach out to me has filled my heart with hope… hard to believe that a simple jar can reignite all that is good about life, friends and the holidays. May all that read this and the story of the Christmas jar feel a bit of what I feel at this moment.. the love that is around us! Merry Christmas
LB
Our Family has done the Christmas Jar for 3 years now. We collect change all year round then when it's close to the holidays we begin our search for a family who needs hope.
We have recently lost 3 of our parents and we know how devasting it can be for such a great loss. We decided that giving is the best way to heal our losses.
We are currently resolving an estate in NJ and we found we were in a tough situation in finding a family. We didn't know many people here but we figured that someone would know about a family who could use the jar this year.
We were hoping to get a family name and address from our hair dresser here but we just played phone tag.
One day our neighbor came over and was telling us about her friend who lost her mother rather unexpectedly. While at the funeral home they met and greeted her mothers friends as well as their own. At the end of the night, the funeral home was going to collect the mass cards and money cards when they found all were stolen.
The family took what little money was saved and used rent and Christmas Present money to pay the remainder of the funeral costs. They were left with nothing for the holidays. It was very upsetting to say the least that people could be so sick as to steal money donated to the family.
We found our family. Our neighbor assisted us in delivering the Jar. She snuck into the apartment complex and left the jar at the door. Then minutes later rang the bell to be admitted into the secured building. When she arrived at the door, her friend was waiting for her, she looked down and asked what the jar was. Her friend looked at it and said who would leave such a jar, took the jar and they went inside.
Several days after the funeral was this womans birthday as well as her sons. While visiting and making plans to remove her mother's things from her apartment, her son called. "Mom what will we do for our birthday's this year". She said as we always do, we will go out for dinner. He responded, we can't possibly afford dinner not after the funeral. She said we will do it anyway. He responded "unless you have a miracle to tell me about – there isn't any money for dinner or rent". She responded we have an angel and this angel did give us a miracle.
We love to give hope and our gift of love anonymously to families who have a need to be lifted up during the holidays. This year our jar created a small miracle to a family who gave up on fairness and humanity. They not only lost a family member but lost they Holidays in the process. The jar reinstilled that most of us here are good people, who will help each other through any crisis.
If everyone just took a few seconds every day toss their change in a jar, they can make a huge difference in someone's life. Restore that people do care, and will help.
It's not only during the holiday's, but each and everyone of us should go back to the basics of caring for one another, not expecting the Government to do it.
We just give back what over the years has been given to us. We will continue doing this until we leave this world and when we leave we know we have reached out to many during our lifetimes.
Let this jar become contagious, if everyone did something to help this world would be such a better place to live. America will once again live up to it's reputation of caring for others.
Merry Christmas to All and let the New Year begin with everyone starting a jar for next year.
We have been giving the Christmas jar for the past 4 years. We believe that there are alot of people who need hope and faith in their futures.
This year was the hardest year for us. We are doing an estate settlement which will end 3 years of mourning the lost of 3 parent in less than a year.
The Christmas Jar became a tradition of our holidays when we first heard about it on the Glenn Beck show. It wasn't hard to toss our loose change into a jar throughout the year. The hardest part was the research to find just the right family to share our tradition with, and keep it completely anonymous.
It has to be anonymous to us, we know no matter how bad things get in our world, we as Americans can overcome anything that faces us. The Christmas Jar is just a small sampling of a bit of hope every family in america can join in and take part.
This year was especially special to us, we looked and looked, talked to many people and just couldn't find the family that needs the hope the Jar share during this season.
One night a neighbor came over and told us about a friend who lost a parent and during the funeral all the money that was put into envelopes to help pay some of the expenses was stolen from the funeral home.
The family had to use all their Christmas money (saved for presents for the children) their rent money, and still had to scramble for pennies and dimes to pay the funeral expenses.
We thought who could be so cruel to steal from a grieving family? This was the family we shared our Christmas Jar with.
Feedback from our neighbor – – the family feels they have just experienced a true miracle. An Angel has been looking out after them.
This is the true meaning of the Season folks, sharing and giving hope to others who have seemed to lose it for a moment in time.
We can all give hope and love it takes 5 minutes to deliver, a year of just tossing change into a jar, and a small message of hope on the jar.
We as Americans have found now more then ever need to share hope and love to each other, many have lost homes, jobs, families, and yes hope for the future.
Make it your tradition it doesn't take much to give a give of hope and love.