Keri Harty's โGood Things Jar" is like a jar of bottled hope. The little messages remind her and her family that we can still expect good things to come our way, even during the most difficult times.
My family keeps a "Good Things Jar" on our kitchen table. I have small cut pieces of paper and a pen handy so that anyone who comes through my kitchen, including friends and family, is free to write down something good that has happened to them recently.
Each year at Christmas time, we empty the jar and take turns reading aloud all the "Good Things" that happened that year. Some are funny, some are serious, and some just give hope.
Over the past twelve months, itโs been especially important for us to draw hope by noticing the โGood Thingsโ that show up in our lives. Itโs been a challenging year for many, including my family.
Like many others around the globe, when the Covid-19 pandemic began, it was one of the most terrifying things I could have imagined. I have always been a self-proclaimed "germaphobe", so a pandemic is like a nightmare coming to life for someone like me. I was isolated from friends and family, stockpiling food and supplies, unsure of the future supply chain. And having to worry about every surface we touched, area schools being shut down for my children, and ultimately the fear of myself and those I loved becoming ill or dying.
Over the past twelve months, itโs been especially important for us to draw hope by noticing the โGood Thingsโ that show up in our lives.
Yet, through this difficult time, good things were still happening, and at the end of 2020, we were surprised to see our "Good Things Jar" was as full as previous years.
While they may not make sense to those outside our family, here are a few random things from the 2020 "Good Things Jar":
โZarah, Will, and I had a picnic outside and I taught Will how to clap with his feet.โ LOL!
โQuarantine day 29: $2,000 worth of stockpiled groceries and still my children say there is nothing to eat.โ LOL!
โToby and his squadron made it home from the desert. Praise God!โ
โPraise God, Jim came home from the ER. Life is like a rolling stone.โ (When my husband had a kidney stone)
โIโm so thankful for the pure love of little children. Itโs the BEST thing on earth!โ
โMom and I kayaked with dolphins at New Pass.โ
โAmazing day on Captiva Island with the Taylors.โ
โMy mom let me buy an expensive game because of corona virus. Thanks corona!โ
โEven though Grandma is on chemo, she kicked the sickness!โ
โMy family threw me the best surprise birthday car parade ever!โ
Some are sarcastically funny like:
โCovid 19 will flee my lungs once it sees my four-a-day Smarty Pants complete non-GMO Childrenโs multivitamin.โ
Going through these made me laugh all over. They are about celebrating the little things each day as well as the big life-changing events.
My โGood Things Jar" is like a jar of bottled hope. The little messages remind us that we can always expect good things to come our way, even during the most difficult times.
And at this time especially, when we all need hope, I encourage you to create your "Good Things Jar" today.
Keri Harty is a wife and mother who lives in beautiful Southwest Florida. Her passion is being in nature and having grand adventures with all of the many children in her life.
Keri is the author of the children's book "Ajsha and Ooko and the Search for the Purple Crystal", a story about keeping things in perspective and what is important in life.
Check out her book here:
Oh I love this idea! We need more good things these days!
The lockdown experience has been a drastic experience for all. The good things jar idea is supportive and can help to people to feel better.
This can be a great way to celebrate New Yearโs eve. A bottle of Thanksgiving jar to look back at all the good things happened and to look forwad for another year.