Christmas Jar Story: 'How do you celebrate when your heart is shattered and you hurt because nothing is the same.'

Reed City, MI :

On August 12, 2010, I lost my husband to a rare disease called Amyloidosis. For the last four months I learned the importance of living and how difficult it is to raise 3 small children alone. I'm thankful for my small community and church family that has stood by me and my children through all of this.

Like others, the holidays have been extremely difficult for us. How do you celebrate when your heart is shattered and you hurt because nothing is the same. On Christmas Eve, I went to my husbands parents house for the first time since his passing. It was something I dreaded terribly and knew it was just one more of those "firsts" I needed to face. The time there was just like I imagined- painful. However, I felt better knowing that experience made me stronger. When returning home. I received the most special gift on my door step. It was a beautiful glass jar trimmed in gold ribbon filled with golden dollars 170.00 of them to be exact. The only message was written on the top christmasjars.com. It brought tears to my eyes once again. It warmed my heart knowing that someone was thinking of me and my family on this very difficult day.

Whoever you are I thank you from the bottom of my heart and you brought a smile to my face- which is hard to do these days.

God Bless you and thanks for thinking of me and my kids.