What a Christmas Day from before breakfast until long after the Christmas Meal was finished! Food and Family, Presents and Paper covering the floor and the precious moments sped by; so quickly that friends I love didn’t even get a phone call – hope you know you are loved!
And so this morning when sugar plums were still dancing in our heads and the clock said … Oh can it really be that late we thought who cares it’s our day off and then we said IDOK cares. And so began our Day After Christmas.
And Jerry began to think out loud about the FIRST Christmas day after. He said wonder what the Shepherds did the day after? Wonder what the Wise Men did the day after they saw Jesus?
Luke 2: 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
And we think the Shepherds were still glorifying and praising God — still talking about Jesus and the angel message long after – probably for as long as they lived after – the day after.
And the Wise Men, what did they do The Day After?
Matthew 2: 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
And the Wise Men departed another way. There is no doubt in my mind the Wise Men went another way The After Day and all their day after(s). How could they ever forget traveling nearly two years after seeing the STAR and then finally arriving and seeing Jesus as a toddler. He must have been the most beautiful child they had ever seen. He must have given them more joy than they could hold THE DAY AFTER!
I’m not a Shepherd and certainly not a Wise Man and yesterday we did not physically see the Infant Jesus or Jesus as a Toddler but we did see Him at work yesterday and we did kneel before Him in prayer and Oh how BLESSED was Christmas 2007 and this DAY AFTER too.
Lord God You are so Awesome! Thank You! Some are back to work, some enjoying a day off from the office, some may be returning gifts that didn’t fit and some well there’s so many varied these we are doing this day, the Day After our Christmas celebration. Father, we want this Day After to be special too, we want to worship and adore You today too and all our Day Afters. Thank You for the GIFT of Life Eternal and Abundant Life here – help us be GREAT stewards of it. And Father, we bring our list of names – precious names and we pray for You to intervene just right for each one. And we pray for protection again today for our IDOK Troops; keep them safe in mind and body and spirit. And Lord, at this very moment others come to mind, folks that say they are looking for You but they are looking in all the wrong places – somehow Lord turn them away from those wrong places. Lord, forgive and rescue them from themselves we pray.
And so protect our Troops and bring them home to us safe and sound; end this war successfully we pray; bring America to Repentance and Israel to Peace and Revive Your Church we pray; cause Your Choice for President to be elected here in America and for each and every IDOK today, love on them for Jesus sake and mine too DADDY. Amen and amen.
The Peace of Israel Mr. Smith. Charles and Renee’. Dall T. Dylan. Taylor. Mark, Margie & Duncan. Marsha’s grand-baby. A care-giver for Emily Grace. Kathy N. Kyle A. Jason, Vicki. Joseph Toomey and Family. Wheeler Family. Mary Ann. Mr. Nash. DeLois. Terri. Leah O. Patsy B. Kim T. Krystee. Rachel B. Kevin and the children. Lisa’s Mother. Janie B. W.C. & Family . Vickie. Lisa W. John Thomas. Cole. Taylor & family. Anita. J Lloyd and family. Janet and Steve. Cathy. Toy and family. Katelyn. Caleb and family. Bay and family. Jennifer B. John and Carolyn. Larry and Claudia and family. Jeanette and Earl and family. Libby and family. Callie. Madie. Ruth. Martha F and Bob. Rev and Mrs. Carpenter. Allyson and Glen and family and Kaitlyn. Brittney and Kersten and family. Sharron and girls. Frankie and girls. Sheila and Andy. Carrie and Rachel and Jacob and family. Billy and Gina and boys. Lance and family. Grace and family. Tressa and Brad and family. Cindy K and family. Chuck. Jessie L. Windy and Jared and families. Helen and Dan and family. Jen and Larry and family. Chad and Brittany and family. Mollie and family. Jenny. Julia. Bobbie. Tj. Zack. Phillip. Jessica. Larry. Kayla. Trey. Jacob. Ashely. Lance. Candance. Laura and family. John and Sandy. Bill and Judy. Adam & Family.
Every IDOK and every IDOK son and daughter and grandchild.
Every IDOK Pastor and Family.
Every IDOK church.
Revival in America.
IDOKs Military Families.
IDOKs Troops – Ethan. Christopher. Raul. Robert. Billy. Josh. George. Buddy. Mark. Josh W. James. Bryan. Nick. Hawk. Brant W. Lyndon A. Christopher R. Travis N. Joshua M.
IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Justin G. Albert R III.
Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Tommy T. Shaun. Bay. Danny. Tim. Lee.
Injured and brought State side: Anthony. Hector
Injured Stateside: Edward J.
Hospitalized outside USA: Corpl. Light
Military at home adjusting – Mack. The 226. Troy. Drew. Brad. Tommy. Desi.
Civilian in Country – Mike. Lee.

As I post this it is 49°F and partly cloudy in Al Asad, Iraq & the time there is 7:22 PM AST – on December 26, 2007