Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Canning Jars

 In collecting some canning jars from the pantry I was reminded of the year my mother's faith was put to a test.
We always had a large garden and Mom would be busy from spring to fall with putting food away for the year.   Our cellar had shelves that held jars of every fruit and vegetable one could want.    It was our very own store so to speak.  It fed us through many a winter.

One spring there was a family in need.   Our pastor asked the women in the church if they had some canned goods that they could share.

Mom naturally had plenty of food.  She wanted to give but her canning jars were precious.  They would be needed for next season's bounty.     Knowing that they would not be returned she gave all she could spare.

With the coming summer and the garden doing well Mom didn't know how she would manage to store the season's harvest.

One afternoon my Aunt Sadie surprised us with a visit.   She had been cleaning out her basement and stopped to see if Mom could use some extra canning supplies.  In the back of her trunk were several boxes of (you guessed it)  jars!

The story doesn't end there...sometime later my uncle passed away and guess what he had in his cellar... jars that my mother received.   When my grandmother moved from her home she too had jars that she gave to Mom.   There were so many that when I grew my first garden and started canning she had plenty to share with me.  I am still using some of them.   

           
Seems like when we give from the heart we receive it back ten fold.
God blesses us and we in turn can be a blessing to others. 


Hope this story brought you some cheer!  P.S. If  anyone might need a few canning jars I know someone who has plenty !   God Bless.


13 comments:

  1. Hi Debbie What a lovely story about your mom and jars. What is it with jars though? I've got a whole shelf full of empty jars and I don't even can anything. Though I do make my own mincemeat at Christmas sometimes but never a shelf full of jars worth. No wonder I never have space to store anything... too many empty jars. I won't mention the empty plastic boxes... :-)

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  2. Debbie, your memories have touched my heart and brought a soft smile to my face this morning. I hear similar stories when one is committed to tithing. (I really need to find a church and get back to going every week as I did for so many years when I lived in Washington...) I never grew up with home canned food so haven't a clue as to how that would taste. I wish I knew as I love the tradition of it. I did make jelly once and while it tasted merely ok, it was a bit runnier than it should have been. Nevertheless, I think canning is an art that should never die out.

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  3. Lovely sketch and I appreciate your post very much. Happy painting!

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  4. This was wonderful~thank you...

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  5. Thank you Debbie for stopping by my blog! It's nice to meet a new SISTER-IN-CHRIST! I've been reading some of your posts and where you live and it's a lovely area. You are so blessed to be a talented artist...artistry runs on my Dads side of the family. My nephew Jeremy inherited that DNA! I am your newest follower...will be back visiting soon! Have a blessed week! From one sweetie to another~~~Roxie

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  6. I love American canning jars. There is something special about them. And this post made me smile a lot.

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  7. Absolutely Debbie! she was paid back for her generousity.
    That's what it's all about. !
    oh, and love your sunflower too !!!
    BJ

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  8. What a great post Debbie. Your sunflower is huge. I relied on my squirrel Chester to plant mine but he let me down I think, this year. I say I think because you never know where he has planted. LOL We will see, have a great weekend,

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  9. I grew up with canning...vegetable gardens...like a store of our own....and I loved it!
    And yes, when we give freely, we receive the same way!
    Thanks for sharing your heartwarming post.



    Ciao Bella
    Creative Carmelina

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  10. Proof that the Lord will provide. Thank you for sharing this happy memory bless you. Marion x

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  11. Hi Debbie,
    Your story just proved that when we give, we will receive more than what we had given out. I am a believer of this saying. Also when we extend help we should not expect anything in return from the same person we had helped because we may get it from others. God really works in many ways. God bless

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  12. Canning jars are so beautiful, full or empty they make great still life subjects. Have fun.

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