Our Blessing Jars

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…where thieves don’t break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:20-21

Years ago, my father-in-law made Bruce a Blessings Jar filled with strips of typewritten memories they had experienced together.  What made this jar so precious is that he did it after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  I’m not sure if he intentionally wanted to get those memories on paper for fear of losing them, or just wanted to recall special moments.  They are dear to both Bruce and me because I was included in some of the more recent memories.  Years later our daughter Caroline did the same for me and for Bruce and we have spent hours going through these tiny slips of paper.  Some of them are hilarious while others are so precious, but they were all treasures.  A few even have a parenthesis at the bottom with love/hate underneath the memory.

This is one of the best Bible studies I’ve done because it is all about looking for the lovely things in life that God has given us.  It is about the importance of creating our own spiritual blessing jars and adding a slip of paper every day.  True blessing jars will contain things that this world cannot rob from us.  They will be overflowing with treasures directly from the hand of God.  Some of my greatest blessings have come through some of my darkest times.  My blessing jar will have just as many recollections of those hard times as they will the beautiful times.  Everything God sends into our lives has a form of beauty since His heart is motivated by love.  Just like my daughter some of our blessings have been a love/hate memory but God has been faithful throughout all times.

It can be tough looking for lovely in our circumstances sometimes, but we can always find treasures when our eyes are focused on God.  ‘We must learn to look for lovely in God’s promises, in the people He sends us to love and tell about Him, in the ways He asks us to trust Him.  When we truly treasure these things, we will do anything to get them.  What we treasure is displayed in our actions.  When we treasure earthly things, it will be evident by the way we live our lives.’ Looking for Lovely, Annie Downs, p. 47.

I am certain that God is up there placing strips of paper in each of our blessing jars for us to share with Him when we see His face.  I imagine there will be long walks with Him and joyful laughter as we reminisce about the lovelies we found.