Clermont, Florida:
This is my 3rd year to deliver my Christmas Jar and it far was the best experience to date. I scoped out the place of the "drop" in early December so I was prepared. We decided to give the jar on Christmas eve day and off we went. I knocked on the door and heard "who's there" put the jar down and ran like I stole something. If you could see my chest pounding--it was the best feeling like I was doing "something bad" yet I was doing "something good" feeling. I made it to the car-- and smiling all the way home, happy as a lark. Merry Christmas. I am truly blessed.
This year marked the 5th year we have delivered a Christmas jar to an unsuspecting family. Our tradition has developed to the point where my children now place their extra change and bills in the jar, which is remarkable considering they are 15 and 10. Each year we pray for God to suggest a family for our jar and this year, we had not felt directed to any particular area in our town. The day prior to Christmas Eve, I opened my Facebook account to find an urgent request from a friend stating that she had just visited a single mom with 3 children who had nothing for Christmas. In fact, the family didn't even have a tree. I knew this was my answer, so I immediately wrapped up the jar, put it in a gift bag, along with the book and some other small items for the children. I also included a note to the recipient explaining the relationship between God's gift of a Savior and our gift to them. For without the gospel, our good works are just works.
ReplyDeleteMy 10 year old son has always been the delivery man of the family since he is quick and able to get away without being seen. He was so excited that it was time to drop the jar off! We obtained the address from the friend who made the appeal and off we went to town to leave our Christmas jar. Upon arriving in front of the house, my little boy jumped out of our car and ran quickly to the door. He looked for a doorbell, but there wasn't one, so he knocked and then ran to hop into the van as we headed for a spot further up the street. We turned around hoping to see if we could catch a glimpse of someone taking the bag, but it had already been safely carried inside. We left knowing that this family would have some means to celebrate Christmas. This tradition is one of the highlights of our holiday, since we know it has such a powerful impact. We thank God that we are able to share the blessings of this life with others who may not know Him. We also pray that our tradition will have eternal consequences!
Dear Jason and family. Last year, your sweet relative, Jen Stafford and her family, whom I have had the sweet privilege of home teaching for the past ten plus years, gave my wife, Annette and I a beautifully engraved Christmas Jar from Ikea and your book for a Christmas gift. We saved all our coins and some extra cash and gave it to a needy family of an aide who works with me in my special needs classroom.
ReplyDeleteThey were so overjoyed and used the money to buy presents for all their children and to buy a turkey and all the trimmings for their Christmas feast. My aide's husband had to cut back his hours at his job to go to school and she only works with us part-time, so it was truly a blessing for us to do that simple act of kindness for them. And we have grown so close to Jen and her family. I want to thank you for your powerful, little book and for all that it has done for so many good people and families. This will now be one of our most valued family traditions and we will pass it down to our children and grandchildren next Christmas.
With much gratitude,
Heber and Annette Trunnell
St. George, Utah