It was a day for rejoicing and it was a day for sadness. It was a day the angels knew was coming but it was also a day they did not want to come. It was Christmas Day and it was Jesus’s first day on earth which means it was also the angels first day without Jesus in Heaven.

How did it come to this? The humans were given chance after chance to change their ways. There were warnings. The angels visited many humans to tell them what was going to happen. Deep down, the angels knew it was wishful thinking. They knew God’s plan to save the world was in action but still…. In the end they all knew they had to accept God’s will.

The angels had many questions. How long will Jesus be gone? Will the humans listen to him? Will the humans see all the miracles he would perform and still not believe? Will the humans change their evil ways? What would the angels do without him?

Many of the same questions the humans would have many years later when Jesus would leave earth to return to Heaven.

The angels still had a job to do. They went and they spread the good news of Jesus’s birth. They told the shepherds and they told the kings. They told the carpenters and they told the goldsmith. They spread the good news from the lowest valley to the highest mountain.

But yet, on that first day without Jesus in Heaven, they wept. Jesus was missed but they knew he would return. Yes, Jesus would return and they would anxiously await.

The Day After Christmas by Matthew West  –

After The Sparkle by Becky Kelley –

Leaving Heaven by Matthew West –

I usually do not watch commercials, I will fast forward through them or find something to do for two-three minutes, but this one caught my eye. Mainly because I thought it was a new Pixar movie but it was not.

The first one is the first part from last year. Little did we know at this time last year how relevant this one would be this year when we could not spend time with our families. Make every moment count.

The second one is the new one for this year. Be the spark that lights up the world. Be the hope.

Our elf on the shelf is missing

Last seen on a frozen lake fishing

Maybe he fell in, but I suspect foul play

As a matter of fact, it was just the other day

Our teenager, the suspect, said she no longer believed

At first, I have to admit, I was quite relieved

No more candy wrappers to clean up

No more messes, no more spilled cups

No more having to re-roll the toilet paper

No more misadventure superhero capers

No more Christmas lights to untangle

No more worries he would end up mangled

Then it hit me, she no longer believed

My heart shrunk three sizes as I grieved

Not only had the elf on the shelf disappeared

But she no longer believed in the man with a beard

Would Christmas ever be the same?

Instead of snow, would it always rain?

But then, from upstairs, from my teenager’s room

It started off faint but I knew it was a familiar tune

My ears heard such a wonderful sound

She was singing Santa Claus is coming to town

Then she jumped into Frosty the Snowman

When she finished I held my wife’s hand

Christmas isn’t about Santa or an elf on a shelf

Christmas is about family and about something else

As she started to sing Silent Night

A terrible thing I suddenly realized

That as we looked for the elf all around

Nowhere in our house was Jesus to be found

Jesus was also missing, completely gone

An ancient star the wise men looked upon

A manger for there was no room at the inn

God came to earth to take away our sins

Then a thought went from my heart to my head

I remembered words I long ago had read

Today in the town of David a Savior is born

Born to die, our savior, our Lord

My heart grew three sizes as I remembered the true meaning

I was suddenly okay with Santa and the elf on the shelf leaving

Where’s The Line To See Jesus by Becky Kelley –

Christmas is All About You by Mallory Hope –