"The Blessings Jar"

Blog | by ReDDVoice

An inspiring story about counting your blessings...

It was the beginning of 2013 when I came across a post in my newsfeed about filling an empty jar with notes of all the good things that happen to you.

The concept was to put these notes into the jar throughout the year and to review them the following year. On New Year's day 2013, I decided to share this idea with my brother and his family during dinner. I decided to call it "The Blessings Jar." I handed everyone an empty jar, which I labeled "Blessings 2013."

On New Year's the following year, we were to share our blessings with the rest of the family during dinner. However, I never dreamed one of us would not make it to see 2014.

It was about 2 o'clock in the morning on November 4, 2013. My husband and I received a very disturbing call from my brother. I knew something was wrong, as I could hear it in his voice. "Terry's gone! Terry's gone!", he yelled. I immediately jumped out of bed in disbelief. At first, I thought I was dreaming, but when I heard the pain and urgency in his voice, I knew that it had to be real. We were all in shock! My nephew had been shot. His girlfriend and close family friend had also been shot. However, Terry didn't survive! The pain of his death was just too painful to bear! Just the thought he would never get the chance to see his 4 year old son again. He would never get the chance to see him grow up. He would never get to see 25. He would never get to see his three beautiful sisters get married. He would never make it to the next New Year's dinner to share his "blessings" with us. Though I was saddened, I soon learned that his death was not in vain...

To my surprise, my nephew was one of the few who had taken the challenge seriously. In fact, he made several deposits of little prayers into his blessings jar during the year. A few weeks after we buried him, I contacted his girlfriend and asked that she bring the jar over to his parent's house. As soon as she walked in the door, I gave her a big hug and thanked her. I took the jar and slowly opened it. Inside, there were two folded pieces of paper. I was so nervous I was shaking, but I had to see what he had written. I thought perhaps he would have written something about his upcoming rap career. But what I read brought me to tears! I was so distraught, I left the house to compose myself. Soon my sister-in-law (Terry's mom) joined me on the back deck. Oddly enough, she was the one who had to console me! She sat next to me and told me that she had just read his notes. She shared how she was actually pleased with what he had written. She was relieved to know he was headed on the right path before he was killed. Terry was a good, family man. What he wrote confirmed that. His two notes read: (shown in pic above in his own writing)

"BLESSED TO BE ALIVE...THANK YOU GOD."
"A BLESSING TO MAKE IT THROUGH A NEW YEAR 2013 WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY."

Today, January 19th, was my nephew's birthday. Had he survived, he would have been turning 25! His life and death is a testament to us all. Take the time to count your blessings.

Each year, I will continue to use the "blessings jar" in his honor. It will be a reminder to me that you should be grateful for the life you have been given each day because you never know when it will be your last!

To View Terry Rankin's Memorial Page on Facebook-CLICK HERE!
#LongLiveTrap



PLEASE COMMENT & SHARE!


Published by permission:
Olisa (Rankins) Armstead