Christian Living

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New Lives
(I Won’t Be Home For Christmas)
© 2011

by

Stephen A. Peterson


Without question modern technology is great for keeping everyone in contact with each other whether they are across a city or across an ocean. Just ask Sergeant Ashley Snyder and her mother Delores Snyder.

At 7:05 PM Delores Snyder heard the Skype signal sound on her lap top computer set up to receive messages from her daughter as well as family members who had moved across the United States. Excited she dropped the fork she was washing to position herself before the computer. She knew it was her daughter as the 9 month period was nearly over and the call was certainly to tell everyone she was coming home. As she expected, it was Ashley.

“How are you doing?” Delores asked. “We can’t wait to see you. When are you coming home?”

“Mom, that’s why I’m calling you and everybody now just before Thanksgiving. I’m not coming home for Christmas. We received orders that we will be here a little longer. Sorry, mom.”

Delores sat in momentary shock. The shock caused her to move from the view of the webcam.

“Mom? Are you there…?

She re-positioned herself before the webcam. “Ashley, are you sure about that? Are you sure the Army didn’t make a mistake and sent the orders to the wrong unit?”

“We’re sure mom. It has been confirmed to us several times. We’ll be here for Christmas. Everybody here is really disappointed but we also understand that we’re at war.”

“Christmas will not be the same without you. The family will be shocked and deeply saddened.

“I know, mom. I’m going to try to call back on Skype either on Christmas Eve or maybe on Christmas. I gotta go mom. Pray for me and everybody out here.”

“Ashley, you know I pray for you every day.”

“Yeah, mom, I know. I’m just nervous and a little scared. I’ll be okay because I know God is with me and you’re home prayin’ Bye, mom. I love you!”

“Bye, honey! I love you. God be with you.”

Delores couldn’t imagine it. She washed the final eating utensil and placed it in the holder to dry then sat down to ponder the message she had just received.

“Could this be a sign of something bad. Will this war take my youngest daughter?” Worry hovered over Delores like a fog over a sleeping small town. Yet she was too shocked to cry.

The year had been a tough one for the Snyder family. A tornado had destroyed the roof in the spring. Her husband had knee surgery to repair a long standing football injury occurred in the summer. Her oldest son lost his job when his employer had to reduce staff. Now this just as things were beginning to look up to change for the better. Now this.

“Ashley’s not coming home for Christmas like we thought. Her tour of duty was extended by the Army.” Delores told her husband.

“God will take care of her. She’ll be okay, Delores,” he said with an encouraging tone of voice.

November went by quickly. The Christmas season was upon the Snyder family.

Freezing rain followed by snow came down rapidly from the Oklahoma sky. Wrapping presents for Ashley was a painful reminder that she would not be present this year. There was one consolation. They could see and talk to her through Skype. At least everyone could see and talk to her—a silver lining perhaps.

Christmas Eve night the 18 members of the Snyder family attended the candlelight vigil at the First Baptist Church. Christmas carols and music filled the air followed by readings from Matthews’s gospel concerning that first Christmas.

Mixed emotions raced through Delores mind. The Christmas spirit lifted her mind. The absence of Ashley also raised moments of sadness. A sense of sadness as well as hopelessness as there was nothing she could do.

After about six hours of sleep, the doorbell rang. As soon as Delores opened the door, in rushed grandchildren heading straight towards a Christmas tree underlained with heaps of multi-colors of wrapped presents.

Within minutes of their entrance, there was the garbled music of Skype. Ashley appeared with her Christmas greetings. “Merry Christmas, mom! Merry Christmas, everybody! Hey, everybody, it’s me! It’s Ashley straight from Iraq!”

Everyone hurried towards the computer to look at and talk to their daughter, sister, and aunt so far away now so close. As everyone relayed their Christmas greetings and message, they were quickly followed by rapid questions about her and her fellow soldiers. Ashley’s voice was full of joy, cheerfulness and hope. For almost an hour, Ashley’s nieces and nephews talked to her about presents, brothers and sisters about the great Christmas and fun; and parents about the meal prepared that she was going to miss.

“I think she’ll be okay,” Delores tried to tell herself.

Soon Ashley was gone. At least, for the time being, seeing and talking to her on that Christmas Day gave Delores hope that she would have her daughter for future Christmases. For these next three days or so, Delores put her concerns aside.

After her family had returned to their homes near and far, Delores returned to her daily homemaker routines. She tried her best not to worry herself about Ashley. But her daughter’s face lingered in her mind.

On the feast of Stephen, Delores’ heart and mind raced her back to the ancient story of Isaac and Rebecca. Though Scripture does not inform the reader of her mother’s response to losing her child, surely there was a painful last meeting between Rebecca and her mother. Some exchange of words, tears and hugs for a relationship broken by a marriage must had occurred thought Delores.

Maybe the story of Rebecca and her mother was never mentioned because her mother understood and believed that God would be with her wherever she went. Was it faith that sustained Rebecca’s mother and father that God would be with their child? Delores imagined that Rebecca’s parents’ words might have been” “Be a good wife and, when it happens, a good mother! Go my daughter to your new life! You are in God’s hands now. He will protect you and keep you all the days of your life. Peace be with!”

Delores had been worried about Ashley being in danger and without protection in a war torn land more than a thousand miles away. The One who had been with Ashley since she was conceived was and is with her at the present and would be with her always. The Lord, Delores, Ashley had celebrated their new lives together that Christmas Day.

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