'The Christmas Jar' shows a better way

I received this large jar full of change. The jar was labeled "The Christmas Jar."

It had a little note on the top of it which read, "To Whomever Receives This Christmas Jar, This is a collection of my family's pocket change for a whole year. It's not much, but hopefully enough to help a little."

I'd like to take a moment to say thank you. You have no idea what this jar has meant to me. Not the monetary value of it, but the significance of the gift. Let me explain.

The last couple of years have not been very good years. 2008 started off with my daughter losing everything she owned in a house fire on my granddaughter's eighth birthday. My dad was in poor health, so in the spring of 2008 we gave away or got rid of most everything we owned, purchased a fifth-wheel and planted it in his backyard so I could be near and help him out.

We lost dad this last July. In early December, my husband had been sick and, being a stubborn man, didn't see a doctor. He passed out at the wheel and was in a serious automobile accident. He is still in the hospital and he's going to have a long recovery.

We cannot afford to pay off the mortgage on dad's house, so we must sell it. With the market as bad as it is, it's starting to look like we will not be able sell it for what is owed and it may go into foreclosure.

My husband is not going to be able to recover in a fifth-wheel so we are looking for a home we can afford. Between insurance changes at work, daily trips to the hospital in Reno, starting to see bills from Care Flight and doctors, and just knowing this is just the beginning of them, returning calls to billing offices, worrying about finding a home of our own, and to top it off, the Christmas season. Well, I've been at my wits end waiting to wake up from a nightmare, numb, waiting for the next ball to drop. I've felt like I've lost something - my spirit, my joy, or maybe even my belief that God is watching over us. My world has been full of despair and depression.

Then along comes this Christmas Jar, full of change that some family has saved all year. And of all the people out there in need during these trying times, it has made it into my hands. I look at this jar with tears in my eyes and feel that this may be God's way of telling me that change is coming. I feel the love and kindness that does still exist. And maybe, just maybe, instead of God watching over me, he is carrying me through these trying times.

So for this, I'd like to thank the family who saved their change and gave it to someone they didn't even know in the hopes that it would help. And I'd like them to know that it has helped in ways they could never imagine!

I'd like to think that some day, when my life is back together, I can do the same and help someone else in this way. Thank you and may God bless you for this act of kindness.

Denise Clendenen is a Minden resident.