(Originally wrote December 2015)

If you’re like me, during the Christmas season, you will put on your warm pajamas, get some hot cocoa with popcorn, and your warm blanket to snuggle up with your loved ones to watch the beloved, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. I’ve watched that show since I was a little girl, and now it is also a tradition in my home to watch every year with my children.

When Rudolph is born, his parents are so happy to have him even though he does have  a slight difference than the other fawns: a bright, red, glowing nose that can be noisy at times.

Then, Santa Claus excitedly comes to meet “the new member of the family”  and is quite surprised to see Rudolph’s glowing nose and very disappointed in Donner, Rudolph’s father, because he has  a son with this sort of defect. Donner realizes Santa’s disapproval and tries to assure him, “it will stop as soon as he grows up”. Santa replies with a warning, “well, let’s hope so if he wants to make the sleigh team someday”.

You see, Donner is one of the  important reindeer who pull Santa’s sleigh, and it is expected that his son would follow suit so Donner immediately gets to work to find something to cover up Rudolph’s imperfection.

I don’t know about you but that always made me sad that Santa and Rudolph’s parents didn’t just love him for how he was born but instead felt the need to change him to be like everyone else. I remember not liking Santa Claus too much.

Later, while Rudolph is learning how to fly along with his friends, he meets a young doe named Clarice who seems to have a bit of a crush on him. When she tells Rudolph that she thinks he is “cute”, he starts leaping, flying higher than the rest of the young bucks, his fake nose falls off, and everyone starts calling him names.

No one stands up for him but instead Donner puts his head down in shame as Santa scolds him saying, “you should be ashamed of yourself! What a pity!” and then walks away.

Comet, who is the reindeer coaching the bucks to fly, tells everyone to get back to work. Rudolph starts heading back, too, but Comet stops him telling him that he needs to go home with his parents and then tells all the others that Rudolph is no longer allowed to join in their games.

Doesn’t that just break your heart?! Don’t we see this so much with people who are not considered the “norm”?

Rudolph decides to take off and leave since everyone is so ashamed of him and no longer want to be around him because a part of his true identity that had been hidden was exposed.

Meanwhile, an elf named Hermey, who is suppose to only make toys, is very interested in being a dentist. Of course, when he tells the head elf that desire, all the other elves make fun of him including a “shame on you!”.

Hermey leaves the elves as he is no longer wanted since he decided to share what his desire to be was.

Later, both Rudolph and Hermey run into each other. They both realize they have something in common: they are both “misfits”! So they are happy, once again, singing, “We’re a Couple of Misfits”. 

We’re a couple of misfits
We’re a couple of misfits
What’s the matter with misfits
That’s where we fit in!
We’re not daffy and dilly
Don’t go ’round willy nilly
Seems to us kinda silly
That we don’t fit in.
We may be different from the rest
Who decides the test
Of what is really best?
We’re a couple of misfits
We’re a couple of misfits
What’s the matter with misfits?
That’s where we fit in.
Why am I such a misfit?
I am not just a nit wit!
I’m an adorable reindeer
Why don’t I fit in?
Why am I such a misfit?
I am not just a nit wit!
They can’t fire me.
I quit!
Seems I don’t fit in
We may be different from the rest
Who decides the test
Of what is really best?
We’re a couple of misfits
We’re a couple of misfits
What’s the matter with misfits
That’s where we fit in!

Then, both Rudolph and Hermey are determined to be “independent” together.

Later, they meet up with Prospector Yukon Corneilius who is, “off to get my life sustaining supplies… Corn Meal and Gunpowder and Ham Hocks and Guitar Strings”.

I wonder, was he too, an outcast?

Anyhow, he gives the two, younger misfits a lift. Together, they have adventures like running into the Abominable Snow Monster, which was scary, but they never deserted one another.  

They also go to the Island of Misfit Toys where Rudolph decides to take his eyes off his own problems (his nose and being rejected by many because of it) and makes his way back home, in a blizzard, to ask Santa to find a home for all the toys.

In the end, Rudolph saves Christmas because  while Santa is getting annoyed with his nose, he then realizes “that nose” can guide his sleigh through the terrible weather.

The show ends happily ever after: the misfit toys get forever homes, the head elf realizes that he was harsh on Hermey and allows him to be a dentist, and even the Abominable Snow Monster seems to have been misunderstood as well and becomes a friend and helper to all.

How many of us are misfits like Rudolph or Hermey? What is classified as being a misfit? It’s all about perspective, I suppose.

I wonder if there are things that make us different than others that we, or even others, view as strange or odd and therefore hide those uniquenesses, never to been seen or used again. I wonder if that difference  could actually be used for something good to make a difference in other’s lives?

As my kids have grown and continue to grow, I’ve  always tried to encourage them to use their differences to, “Go MAD!” They know that when I say that, I mean, “Go Make A Difference!” You know what?! I have seen each of my children use those things that they have been given uniquely by God to truly make a difference in other’s lives.

Here’s the interesting thing, though! In the past, I haven’t done very well seeing my differences as unique. I haven’t done very well at encouraging or accepting myself at all. In fact, I tend to criticize myself way too much and wonder what I have to offer anyone. That is a lie straight from the enemy who would love to see  me not using my God-given gifts.

I have felt like a “misfit” for many, many years, since as long as I can remember. While growing up, I was late in learning how to ride a bicycle, I didn’t swim like others, I had two left feet and I bloomed later than others. Many things didn’t come easy or natural to me. I just felt awkward in my body way too much. I felt different…a misfit of sorts.

As I grew up, got married, and had children, there were other things that could label me a misfit. I was so scared to have my first child, questioning whether or not I would be a good mother. I even dealt with post-partum depression and was too scared to share my feelings with even my husband as I thought I was the only one who had the thoughts I did.

Then, when I was pregnant with my second, I was so scared if I would love her as much as I did my firstborn. I learned quickly that no matter how many children I had, no matter how much they drove me crazy, somehow God gave me that same love to share with all of them. 

I remember as the kids grew, we had to decide how to school them. I remember saying there was no way I was going to homeschool any child of mine because it was just way too weird. Well, never say never. I did homeschool them, for 14 years, but as they got older, their needs changed. There were a couple years while one child was in college, one was in a private school, one in a public school, and one was being home-schooled. I kid you not!

People voiced their opinions…some people thought I was crazy for doing that. Yes, I drove, sometimes hours a day, to get each of my children where they needed to be: school, activities, field trips, etc.

I also was not the typical homeschool mom when I first started teaching my kids at home many years ago. I didn’t wear the typical long, denim skirts down to my ankles nor did I make my children look all alike in denim outfits. Now before you criticize me for pointing this out, I do love denim. I have had denim skirts and even overalls. I even liked to dress my kids somewhat alike, especially for family photos.

It’s just, at times, it seemed our family was the “odd one out” in the homeschool realm. Although as the years went on, homeschooling become more and more popular so by the end of my homeschooling career, there were all sorts of misfits homeschooling which just makes me chuckle and love the diversity!

Now, some may judge me and that’s okay because I only have One Judge that I need to take judgement from but….. drum roll….I have tattoos. Yes, I do, and I am happy to have them! They all have meaning to them that may even point people to Christ because they all have a story to tell.

Most people will say, even just recently, “You must’ve done that when you were young and stupid.” Ummmm…..no. I had my first one done a couple years ago.

Thankfully, the one thing I continue to learn, as I have taught my children, is to be proud of who they are and what they do (as long as it is legal and God-honoring 😉)

I may be labeled as a “misfit” by some, but I am God’s misfit, and I will strive to continue to make a difference in other’s lives no matter what!

I believe our “misfit imperfections” are really our God-given uniquenesses.

I would love to hear your misfit stories and/or how this has encouraged you!

If you’re a misfit, too, please share with the other misfits in your life and subscribe below!

From one misfit to another, Let’s Go MAD!

Blessings,
Jennifer