Joy to the world

John Hayward, God’s richest Blessings to you, and Merry Christmas. I love your thought provoking writing.

OmahaConservative on December 24, 2009 at 7:59 PM

Holiday Greetings from Afghanistan.

Friends, there is no such thing as a “secular” Christmas! I’m glad that others take time to celebrate a season, but Christmas is for the faithful. So to all who celebrate Christmas in its true spirit, may I add my best wishes?

First I would have to say, thank you, to all of the commenters who wish me and my detachment success and safety while we are here. You humble me with your kind words and your sincere concern for our well being. Know that we are safe and secure this Christmas Evening and were able to celebrate, our whole group, with the Special Forces units that we support here. After our mission today of taking their command to some outlying FOBs to visit their troops and taking them the makings of their Christmas Dinners for tomorrow, we returned and went to an OEF Christmas Eve cookout. It was a wonderful time with men that we have flown into battle and who do the great work of protecting the American People. They execute the impossible and confront daily the kind of terror that some men fear they might encounter even once in their lives. To me they are heroes all. I wish that you all could be here and have met them too. If you were like me, you would feel richer for knowing them.

I have a very special thank you to Cindy Munford, UPinAK, ladyingray Helen Cline and NaClydog. These fine people, their families and others have been spoiling my detachment and me with boxes almost weekly. They then sent some very special Christmas care packages. What could I ever say to thank you all for your thoughtful kindness for men and women you haven’t ever even met? Yours is the very core of human kindness.

This Christmas, I take comfort in the knowledge that the magic of this day is real and that the birth of Jesus Christ has renewed the world yet again. And I take comfort that although I am by far a poor Christian, that I am proud none-the-less to claim that as my eternal heritage. The love of God is the only thing that would allow this to be possible for someone like me. I pray for myself this one selfish thing; that this is my last Christmas overseas. I miss the celebration of Christmas in The States. I miss Christmas for everything that it is and everything that it is not. I miss the smell of a fresh cut Christmas Trees and the smells of holiday spice. I miss the good cheer that tends to unite us, if just a little bit, despite our differences. And I miss being with children during this time of year with their wide-eyed wonderment of the holiday displays. As I think back to more innocent times when as a child myself , our father would drive us to see the lights of Candy Cane Lane in South Williamsport, PA., it makes me miss Christmas in The States.

You are all in my prayers. This last year has been hard for us individually and collectively as a nation. I pray for our country and our leaders. I am blessed to know so many people who like me, still swell with pride to be an American. I pray that those who are somehow ashamed of what our nation is would receive the absolute realization that The United States is, as one man once said, “The last, best hope for this world.” It’s our duty to prove this out. I know we Conservatives still feel these as dark times, but my holiday wish for you all is that you find comfort in the knowledge that good will out. That what is true and is right in this world cannot be long defeated. That we may lose battles, but we will never give up the good fight and we will carry the message so long as we carry a breath. That we will ultimately win a great victory over those who would oppress us.

My ex, who still holds a bigger place in my heart than she will ever know, always reminded me of Frost when the job got tough. I take both comfort and strength from this poem. My humble Christmas gift to you is in posting it here.

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of the easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Frost

It’s is Christmas here in Kandahar, Afghanistan already.

Merry Christmas to All!

hawkdriver on December 24, 2009 at 2:51 PM

This seemed like an appropriate post to quote here. I am sure our patriot, hawkdriver won’t mind my doing so.

OmahaConservative on December 24, 2009 at 8:03 PM

Thank you so much for copying that, as I would have missed it otherwise.

God bless hawkdriver and all the troops who are far from home tonight. They are the best of the best and always in my thoughts and prayers.

califcon on December 24, 2009 at 8:16 PM

A-MEN and ditto that.

OmahaConservative on December 24, 2009 at 8:18 PM

At the 5:00 Divine Service I attended, the Lutheran priest instructed us to respond to Merry Christmas greetings with “Glory to God in the Highest”, so, Glory to God in the Highest!

OmahaConservative on December 24, 2009 at 8:55 PM