Page 61 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2023 - Online Magazine

OPPORTUNITY
TO Serve
Loving Kindness

& Blessings

The Mason Jar Ministry

By Kathy Vandevender

ittle did I know, about four what I include now. This ministry
years ago, that God would has grown tremendously, and I
Linvolve me in a project that eventually began to see the impact
would turn into a ministry that of a single handwritten note of
would shine the light of Jesus. It encouragement. One kid in my
all started during Covid, when my neighborhood asked, “Mrs. Kathy,
sweet neighbor’s daughter was not have you ever heard of a copy
going to school regularly because machine?” I said, “Yes, I sure
things were unsure for many of us have, but that is not the same as a
at that time. I asked her mom if I handwritten note from the heart.”
could write some notes to encourage I have met total strangers, and God
her. She had a brother, so I included In 2022, I began to see that I needed has nudged me to include that
him also. Having retired from help. I contacted the Legacy House family. I have started having people
teaching for 31 years, I love kids! I and asked if the women there would ask me to write to their kids, which
used quotes from famous people at be interested in helping me. Over shows the great need in our world
first and wrote them notes all year. the past couple of months, they for encouraging our children. If we
At that time, I was able to include have helped me so much, and I can don’t step up and do something like
lots of candy and cute novelties for see they are receiving a blessing this in our churches in Texas, the
the holidays. They would write me by being a blessing to others. I am USA, and other countries, the world
the kindest notes back, starting with getting to develop friendships with will fill them with what it has to
a simple thank you, but the notes them and hope to continue with offer. I am looking for older women/
have evolved over the years to the them as partners in the future. men to meet this need so they can
sweetest words from their hearts. I even began to get pictures of be blessed by blessing others. I
I don’t expect thank you notes, but kids receiving their notes at home know there must be small groups
oh, how they have blessed me. This because I deliver them to their or life groups who would like to
little girl (and now young lady) has doors. I volunteer at the local pay it forward. I want to increase
inspired this 68-year-old woman to Intermediate school, and Friday “Godfidence” in our young people.
encourage others!
hugs have become a huge part of I am willing to teach groups what I
In the second year, I included my that day! Sweet texts from parents, have been doing. I especially think
own grandkids and neighborhood/ thanking me for their mental health our elderly generation would be
church friends, starting with 17 kids notes, showed me that parents were blessed by knowing they are doing
and ending with around 40 kids. In reading them along with their kids. something positive for this world.
the third year, I ended up with over One parent said their son had them We are never too old to be world
70 kids. I just finished this year with taped to the mirror in his bedroom. changers; please consider helping
over 100 kids. Thirty handwritten Another mother said her daughter me plant these positive seeds in our
notes for over 100 kids every two had them taped to the wall in her future generation!
months, five times a school year bedroom and sometimes takes them kathyvan69@gmail.com
equals about 15,000 handwritten to school to share with others. I got 575-760-2222
notes! a picture the other day of a big glass
vase with all the notes a mother had
Thanks to many quotes I read collected that I had written for her
or see that have positive kind boys; it was a breathtaking picture!
words, plus scripture, these are I have even had adults ask for notes!

Lubbock Senior Link 61