Mentor on the Lake, Ohio

Jan 6, 2016

Last night I received an extraordinary gift from truly amazing people. I was given a gift bag and in it was a “Christmas Jar” filled with a few $20 bills, 5’s, singles, a lot of change and 2 gift cards for Marcs & Giant Eagle plus a book called the “Christmas Jars”.
Today I read the entire book. At the end of reading the book there were tears sliding down my face and emotions hard to explain. Of hope, of inspiration, of kindness, some tears making me so sad because this gift comes at a time it seems someone knew. I have struggled most of my life financially but have always found a way to make things okay for my girls and me. There were many times they could not do things with their friends due to no money but they also did not lack anything they needed or the endless love from family, friends, myself.
This month is a very rough one financially and I said after paying everything due the 1st I had $1.00 something in my account. I was so happy I HAD a $1.00 something and everything was paid! People have it so much worse and we are okay.
But, again, it was as if someone knew. And thus we were presented with this “Christmas Jar” and story that will forever impact my life. We will start a “Christmas Jar” to pass to someone next year who really needs it and it is not just for someone who is financially down only but for someone who needs a little faith and hope and knowledge they are cared about whether broke, sad, alone, happy, needing inspiration, etc.
And thus I begin the new year thankful and inspired by this extraordinary gift known as a “Christmas Jar”.
My love to the ones who inspired me.

Christmas 2017

I have a story to tell and it may be a little long but it is about the spirit of giving, of belief, of love, of Angels, of the Lord and of Christmas.
As some of you may remember last year I was given a gift that took my breath away leaving tears of gratitude and amazement rolling down my cheeks. It makes me realize how much love and true giving from the heart there is all around us. It is something I will never forget.
I was given a Christmas Jar.
When the New Year came I made our own Christmas Jar and hoped to put in as much money as I could for someone who really needed it. It was hard to put anything but a few coins in it for many months as I was not working and then needed to catch up myself. The last few months, though still financially rough for me, I started to try and toss in all the singles I could and then I threw in a couple 20’s and a 5. Every time I got change I made sure to put it in, uhm, minus the dimes of course! I have a wine bottle I have been trying to fill with dimes for a couple years so I kept those! It is not nearly where I want it to be but I am hopeful to buy some gift cards and throw in some more money before I give my Christmas Jar to someone.
So, I thought I knew who I was going to give this Christmas Jar to. Someone who struggles and would appreciate the gesture just as I did.
Until last night. On my way home after dropping Kara off I stopped to turn in a lottery ticket so I could put gas in my car. A young girl was behind the counter and becz of me our conversation started in a funny way and we were laughing. We started talking after I told her I was so happy I scratched off the lottery ticket to reveal $20 having no money and needing gas. She told me how she understood and was having a hard time herself living in a hotel with her young daughter. Someone had given her a huge jar of quarters she was paying for the hotel with and how a guy came in with a present for her daughter and a card with $100. She didn’t know how she was going to have a Christmas for her little girl and yet she was still happy and I think Hopeful. I told her I have been there and understand how hard it is to have a child you want to do so much for. I told her about the gift I received last Christmas and how amazing it had been for me.
On the way home I was trying to figure out how I could give her some money and a gift card for ToysRUs to buy presents for her daughter. I couldn’t figure it out and her story kept weighing on my mind.
And then I remembered – THE CHRISTMAS JAR!!
I feel what happened is a sign from an Angel or the Lord that this is the person who needs their spirit, belief and a miracle in her life right now. I learned her name was Josie from the manager at the gas station I had a long talk with about what I wanted to do. She was amazed and said it would indeed be a gift that would change her life. I said I needed to get gift cards to put in the jar after I got paid and maybe a little more money and she was like wow.
And in a strange twist, my daughter, Kara knows her and said she has been having a rough time for a while.
So next week we will go and surprise Josie with a Christmas Jar who, like I, will never forget this amazing gift.
God Bless everyone this holiday season and look for the Miracles! With love.