A Shiny Nose....Who Knew?

Who knew?  Not me! .......how Rudolph really got his "Shiny Nose?"

One thing that I love about this new technology age is the fact that there seems to be so much more info out there and available to us, with just the click of a button!

I received this story in my email and I really thought it was worth sharing....especially if any of you, (like me) have never heard the story before....

                                "True Story of Rudolph"

A man named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night.
His 4 year old daughter Barbara, who sat on his lap, was quietly sobbing.

Bobs wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer.  Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home.  Barbara looked up into her dad's eyes and asked...."Why isn't Mommy just
like everybody else's Mommy?"

Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears.

Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger...It had been the story of Bob's life.  Life always had to be different for Bob.  He was always a small kid and was bullied by other boys.  He was too little at the time to compete in sports.  He was often
called names he'd rather not remember. 

From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in.  Bod did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression.  The he was blessed when his wife gave birth to a baby girl. 

But...it seemed to all be Short-lived!  Evelyn's bout with cancer had stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums.

Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.

Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift.  But, if he couldn't buy a gift, he was DETERMINED to make one....a Storybook!  Bob had created a character in his own mind and told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope.  Again and again, Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling....

Who was the character???  What was the story all about???  The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form.  The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was.  The name of the character?  A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose!

Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day.  But the story does not end there...

The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book.  Wards went on to print, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and distribute it to children visiting Santa Clause in their stores.  In 1946, Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph.  That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book.

In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards, returned all rights back to Bob May.  The book became a best seller.  Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried, with a growing family, became wealthy from the story that he created to comfort his grieving daughter....But the story does not end there either...

Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaption to Rudolph.  Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry.  "Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas...."

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago, kept on returning back to Bless him again and again.  Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph...that being different isn't so bad.  In fact, being different can be a huge Blessing!

Isn't it amazing how big our God is?  He had a huge plan for this man named Bob May......

Those valley's  may seem to be so,so deep during the times that we are walking through them, but.....GOD!  

God is our Hope and we never know what size package His Blessing may bring!!

I hope you all enjoy this story, this message, as much as I did!!

Hugs....
shug