The Command of King Moonraiser

This morning, as I drove my mom and step-dad to meet the bus they would take for their vacation to the Tennessee mountains, we discussed my upcoming internship. I shared how much I enjoyed being on this end of God’s plan – being able to see how He has used my past experiences growing up, education, career at Belmont, and cancer to prepare me for this next journey of life. Even with all the warnings about how tough hospital chaplaincy can be, and even with the strong urging to maintain my spiritual outlets for my own mental health, I know deep down that I am on the right course. I know I am meant for this field, and that, overall, I have found my fit. 

Reflecting back on the last eight years – from the moment I made that conscious decision to do whatever it took to “fix” me – through all the growing pains along the way, I see how God was preparing me – all the jobs I did not get, even the certainty that He did not want me to go full-time at Amazon only to find out the next weekend that they were doing away with my part-time position – the countless whys – struggling to understand – how it has all led to this moment. 

My growth and journey are not done, not by any stretch of the imagination, but I am so honored to have been given this glimpse – the light peaking through the window – an illumination. 

I even think of love – one of the biggest reasons I have not put myself out there again. I knew I had to work on myself emotionally and spiritually. However, I also wanted to be independent. As it is now, living with my dad, struggling to pay my bills, having to constantly seek help from my parents – there is no way I would even consider dating a man in my position. I would not expect a man to date me in this position. I must have something to offer. Although I am not there yet, I do see a light at the end of this tunnel as well. That does not mean I’m ready to throw my heart into the ring just yet. It just means that for the first time in eight years, I think romantic love could, perhaps, be a possibility in the future. 

After I got home from dropping off my mom and step-dad, I turned on Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, my favorite childhood Christmas show. As I began watching, it occurred to me why I loved this show above all others. It is not so much a story about Christmas as it is about redemption. 

Rudolph and Hermie, both ostracized for being different, set off on their own. “We will be independent together,” Hermie tells Rudolph. 

Along the way, they meet another odd-ball by the name of Yukon Cornelius. As they travel on, the abominable comes after them, and poor Rudolph blames himself. “It’s my nose. It’s ruined us,” he says. 

Later in the story, Rudolph will run off in the middle of the night, thinking he is doing what is best for his friends. He tries to isolate himself. Luckily for him, his friends (both the other misfits and the “normal” Clarice) won’t let Rudolph get away with running away. They go after him and wind up using their own differences to save him.

Before this, though, the band of misfits end up on the Island of Misfit Toys.

“We’re on the Island of Misfit Toys. Here we don’t want to stay . . . If we’re on the island of unwanted toys, we’ll miss all the fun with the boys and the girls . . .”

Rudolph feels like he found a place where he finally belongs, a place where he fits in. Before they can stay, Charlie-in-the-Box tells him they will have to get permission from King Moonraiser.

Every night, King Moonraiser searches the earth for unwanted toys and brings them to the island until Santa can find a little boy or girl who will want it. The king denies Rudolph’s request, telling him that living creatures cannot hide themselves on the island. “Being misfits yourselves, you might help the toys here,” he suggests to Rudolph. 

The king does not say “if” you return to Christmas Town someday. No. He says “when” you return someday – tell Santa about the toys. “A toy is never truly happy until it is loved . . . “

Rudolph replies, “when and if” they ever get back, they will tell Santa. This is the turning point of the story, just before Rudolph attempts, once again, to isolate himself. 

Anyone familiar with the show or song know how it ends. Rudolph does return home, saves Christmas, and keeps his promise to King Moonraiser. Santa stops on the island, and all the misfit toys find new homes. 

Before today, I never noticed the correlation between me and the misfit, Rudolph, or the Island of Misfit Toys and the Church. 

I, like Rudolph, tried to isolate myself on numerous occasions, thinking I was protecting others from me. Like Rudolph, I was blessed enough to have both “normal” and “misfit” friends and loved ones who never let me get away with running away. Like Rudolph, I have grown to see my differences as a gift and not a curse. 

I have said on more than one occasion that I love the church because it is the one place where I feel truly at home – at home among people just as different as myself. My church is my Island of Misfit Toys. 

It could be so easy to want to stay within the safety of the church walls and church community, and I did that for many years. However, like King Moonraiser told Rudolph, we are not meant to live on this island. 

The King brings the unloved to the island, but this stop is supposed to be temporary. We are made to love and be loved. We cannot do that in isolation. Our differences are intended to make us useful “out there.” 

In the end, all the misfits find their fit. Yukon Cornelius tames the bumble, Hermie becomes the first dentist in Christmas Town, and Rudolph uses his nose led the way. Those who are “normal” realize they were wrong and embrace a new truth. 

“Well, it’s Christmas Eve, and it looks like we are forgotten again,” Charlie-in-the-Box cries.

In the end, both the misfits and the “normals” were all saved – no one was forgotten – all because of their differences and the King’s command to leave the island.  

The Christmas season is my favorite time of the year – the movies, the television classics and specials, the music, the parties, the decorations – everything. However, I usually experience a sense of let-down on Christmas day. I do not enjoy the normal gift giving. The heart of the holidays is somehow always lost. 

This year, between our church’s new vision and my new upcoming adventures, something about me has changed and continues to change. My vision this year is on those hurting, lonely, depressed. My prayer this year for me, and for everyone who has a relationship with Jesus Christ, is to get off the island – to embrace our own differences, be in tune with the “misfits” around us and NOT to forget them again.