Last November, exactly one year ago today, as I sat overwhelmed with grief and trying to sort through all of Stan's things, I found a Mason jar containing a $5 bill. The jar was in his mission box, a Rubbermaid container that held all the things he would need if he was headed out on a trip.
Now it was his habit to put loose change in a jar. Once he had collected and rolled a substantial amount of change he would put it toward a mission trip or outreach of some kind. I had never known frugal Stan to save bills of any kind so it was clear to me that if he was going to save $5 bills he had a special project in mind. So, I placed the jar on my desk and prayed about what my sweet husband would want me to do.
Right before Thanksgiving it was clear to me that the Mason jar with the $5 bill was my challenge to undertake! The Spirit really pressed into me that my mission was to save every $5 bill I received as change over the course of the next year. I figured that I might collect about $200 and it would make a nice donation toward a worthy cause. Little did I know that the pursuit of the $5 bill would become a game strategy over the weeks and months. Imagine my surprise when I emptied this crowded jar today and discovered $550!!! Praise the Lord! (Our old cat helped me count so be sure to double check! LOL!)
At first I thought it would be difficult to decide who should receive this treasure-filled Mason jar, but the decision was actually very easy. You see, Stan was in retirement-planning-mode right before he died. His plan was to re-focus his energies toward Mountain T.O.P. and he was thrilled with the prospect of ministering to families in need in a place he loved so much!
So, I present to you Stan's Mason jar given to Mountain T.O.P. in his memory. I know the needs are many in the Cumberland Mountains but I am certain that there are special needs that come up at Thanksgiving and Christmas that above and beyond what Mountain T.O.P. budgets for each year. Please use the contents of this jar to shower blessings upon someone with special needs.
As always, you are all in prayers. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Love in Christ,
Sandy Partridge
Sandy,
ReplyDeleteYour husband was one of the most wonderful volunteers I had the privilege to work alongside at Mountain TOP. I did not know he had passed away. I am so very sorry. He had a heart as big as the mountains and a smile that could warm a room. He was so lucky to have you. The mason jar sounds so perfect for Stan. My prayers are with you and I am so thankful I was lucky enough to know Stan. He was an amazing man.
I was on staff with Mountain TOP for a long time. Peace, Frances Dellinger......He and Tommy Halliburton called me Fran D.
I am also so sorry to hear of Stan's passing. I was also on MTOP AIM Staff and knew Stan very well. My last memory was of him and me shingling the roof of Friends cabin on Friends weekend! I missed him terribly after Katrina and was in prayer for all of you at that time. My heart is heavy with this loss. I remember that Tommy Halliburton called him Red Bird! I will miss Red Bird.
ReplyDeleteSonja Goold