A Soldier’s Christmas Wish
U.S.
Military Airmail Delivery
P.O. Station 1753530202
Charlotte, N.C.
December 1, 2006
Mr. And Mrs. Jonathan D. Williamson
1234 Our Town Road
Happy Town, Somewhere in the Midwest, U.S.A.
Dear Mom and Dad,
I’m writing home to tell you that I’m safe so far to celebrate another year of Christmas and keep me in your prayers. Being away from home is quite lonely and I trust in our Father God and His Son our Lord Christ Jesus will keep us all safe until we’re all together again. Even when we’re far apart the Lord will keep us close in our prayers and our hearts. Fighting here has been quite heavy and very dangerous. I’ve lost my best buddy just the other day, who had a wife and child that was born just a couple of months ago. I want to tell you both that it warmed my heart to get a care package from you. Everything in it from one of the taped sermons from our family church to the digital picture frame with all our family memories lifted me up and bring a little piece of home in the fighting fields. I really loved mom’s homemade oatmeal chocolate raisin filled double-decker cookies and the mandarin orange spice soap it’s the smells of those Christmas mornings at home when I was a boy. Thanks dad for the pocket sized KJV Bible and the note tucked inside about true courage, wisdom, integrity and vision in time that seems hopeless. It strengthens me knowing that our heavenly father shines through your love and support. If only I could hear your voices. I still write I the journal you both gave me before I left for overseas. I try writing some in it each day when I can. This will be your memory of me just in case. My prayers is to see you all again.
My greatest wish of all, mom…dad it’s not what you receive for Christmas in a gift box it’s all the love that we shared through all those years we were together just like old times, giving thanks to the Creator in heaven that made all things possible. I think of you both, sis, little brother, my sweet, loving wife and baby boy. At times I often loose faith in the government that sent us into a senseless war, but I haven’t lost faith in our Heavenly Father who will one day deliver us. We’ll all one day live in the kingdom of God and we’ll be with Jesus. I also think of this time of year when there was a newborn baby born into the world some two thousand years ago in a manger, a Savior, Christ our King. One day He will come again and save us from evil, to bring peace and there will be no war, no more. Being in a far away foreign land and far from the ones you love makes it a lonely, sad place. I was called to do my duty as an American to protect the ones I love so much. So keep your hopes up and your prayers that I’ll be home soon. That would be the best Christmas gift of all.
I’ve enclosed a recent photo of myself to keep close to your heart as you all are in mine.
Your loving son in Iraq,
Pvt. John Mark Williamson
Let’s remember our U.S. Troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and in other places of deployment in our prayers and thoughts this Christmas season and always. Send them a card and a care package let them know you support them.
Loving Father, help us remember
the birth of Jesus, that we may
share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds
and the wisdom of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open
the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift
and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing
which Christ brings, and teach us to
be merry with clean hearts.
May the Christmas morning
make us happy to be Thy children,
and the Christmas evening bring us
to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven,
for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON (1850-1894)