Listening For Your Song Of Service
Many of my Christmas traditions and celebrations occur before December 25, leaving Christmas day as a time of rest and reflection. This year is no different with one of my favorite traditions being completed by December 1.
Each year I send a children’s Christmas book to my great nieces and nephews for them to begin a collection of books that could be read each night before Christmas. It’s such a treat for me to go to the bookstore in November, sit on the floor and discover what special book will be chosen. My criteria are simple. The story and illustrations have to deliver both delight and a memorable message.
This year I discovered Olive, The Other Reindeer. It begins when Olive, a little dog, listens to the song, “All of the other reindeer” but instead she hears it saying, “Olive, the other reindeer.” She is surprised to discover she has a new identity: “I thought I was a dog. Hmmm, I must be a Reindeer!”
Without hesitation, she travels to the North Pole to join Santa and his reindeer in their mission of delivering gifts to girls and boys across the world.
While Santa and the reindeer are a bit perplexed at this new creature joining their team, they accept her with kindness and love. When Santa hits a few snags along his delivery route, Olive is able to use her special gifts such as chewing, fetching sticks, and having a great nose for cookies, to make the Christmas Eve adventure successful.
The illustrations are delightful in a style of big noses, imaginative scenes with bright colors and motion, and include a Santa copter. You can’t look through the book without a smile and giggle, and I’ll never hear the reindeer song again without thinking of Olive.
I wish you all moments of awe this Christmas week. May you discover the song that calls your name to an adventure of service and love. Terri