By Ralphine Major

The look on her face was one of pain and distress. Her hands clutched her stomach. We thought she was ill.

Many years ago, mother and I had nursery duty during worship service. The group of three-year-old children looked adorable in their Christmas outfits and eyes full of wonderment. The class had just begun when we noticed a little girl who seemed to be in extreme pain. “What’s wrong?” we asked as she struggled to walk.

“It’s food for Rudolph,” she answered compassionately. Little hands cupped below her stomach represented the heavy load of food.

“Where is Rudolph?” I asked.

The look on her face was serious. “He’s stuck in the mud!” she exclaimed. Relieved that she was not sick, we played along as she gave nourishment to Rudolph. In a couple of minutes, Rudolph had recovered!

It is wonderful to know that Rudolph is still a favorite of many small children, and Gene Autry’s “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is still one of the most popular Christmas songs today. As I think back on the little girl with so much imagination and compassion, it has become one of my favorite memories at Christmas and always brings a smile to my face. “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord . . .” Psalm 127:3 (New American Standard).

Great Christmas gifts! Piddle Diddle, the Widdle Penguin books are available at Barnes & Noble, 8029 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, bn.com, amazon.com, and www.majorbooksofjoy.com.