ACRBA Tour - Shoes Off Feet Up by Ellen Carr

6 – 10 June

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

is introducing

Shoes Off Feet Up

(By HopePost Publishing, 25 November 2015)

by  Ellen Carr

About the Book:

Shoes Off, Feet Up: Poems of everyday life and faith invites you to sit down, put your feet up and read awhile. It celebrates life with all its fun and adventures, its blessings and encouragements and its challenges. Some of Ellen's poems touch on the light-hearted and humorous side of life, some rejoice in the joys of life and nature, while others deal with the deeper issues of living with faith in God. 

You are invited to dip into this book and find some treasures. You will be blessed, encouraged and amused by these poems, and occasionally you will be challenged. Shoes Off, Feet Up ~ poems you will want to return to again and again. 



Ellen Carr is an award winning author who lives in Melbourne, Australia. She writes about life, nature, things of amusement, and of her faith in God. She enjoys seeing the funny side of life, as well as pondering things of more serious importance.

About the Author

Ellen Carr lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband,Rod. She has two adult daughters, Sarah and Alison, who have flown the nest. When she isn’t busy writing, Ellen delights in pottering about, drinking coffee, singing in a community choir, volunteering as a Christian religious studies teacher, travelling, and spending time with family and friends. A retired teacher, Ellen has always enjoyed writing. She has written educational material, radio scripts, short stories, and of course, poetry. Writing from her heart, her works are about life, nature, amusing situations, and her faith in God. Her faith and her daily walk with God are high priorities in her life, followed by
family, friends and fun. She enjoys seeing the funny side of life as well as pondering things of more serious importance.

Many of her award-winning poems and stories have been published at FaithWriters.com, an online Christian writers’ website, and some poems appear in Glimpses of Light, an Australian anthology, which raised money for CBM (formally Christian Blind Mission).

Several of her pieces will appear in the upcoming series, Mixed Blessings. Her poem, Twelve Long Years, included in this collection, was awarded a Judges’ Commendation in the Tabor Adelaide
Creative Writing Awards competition.

In addition, her poems have been read on the radio program, Songs of Hope, on 88.3 Southern FM, in Melbourne, Australia. She also wrote the lyrics for a song, The Peace of God, played on that same station. Other poems have appeared in church news sheets, religious educational material, magazines, and on Ellen’s blog.
You can find more of her work, and a link to her blog, at her website: Ellen Carr, Postbox Poetry and HopePost Publishing, at: postboxpoetry.wordpress.com

My Thoughts:

So many of these poems I can relate to and see the pictures they represent in my head or around me; things I've done and said.
Birds in the bird-bath, disappearing post boxes, tissues going through the wash, whale watching in Warnambool ...

Good work Ellen. I hope I can read more of your poems in the future.

When Santa Learned the Gospel

When Santa learned the gospel, he first heard it from an elf.

This tiny Santa’s helper had just learnt of it himself.

*

A child had asked for Christmas to receive a Bible book.

This elf had made one in the shop, then paused to have a look.

*

He read all about Jesus and the call to follow him.

He learned how Jesus lived and taught and died to pay for sin.

*

He learned how Jesus rose again and how he will return

And then this elf read how he should respond to all he’d learned.

*

He shut the book, put down his tools, then closed his eyes and prayed.

Right there and then this little elf trusted in Christ that day.

*

The next day he told Santa. It was awkward, unprepared.

He knew he didn’t know that much, but what he knew he shared.

*

He told Santa the gospel. It was simple. It was short.

But a seed was sown in Santa’s heart, which grew into a thought.

*

Santa reflected on his life and the message he supported,

Then compared it to the gospel that the elf had just reported.

*

He’d always thought that everyone was naughty or was nice.

He had them all on two big lists. He even checked it twice.

*

He’d always thought that you got gifts only if you’d been good.

The naughty kids got lumps of coal. That’s what he understood.

*

They’d all line up in shopping malls and sit upon his knee

And claim that they were always nice. As nice as nice can be.

*

Of course, he saw them when they slept and knew when they awoke.

He also knew their nice attempts were pretty much a joke.

*

Their heads were filled not with nice thoughts of kindness, peace and joy,

But with the never-ending list of their desired toys.

*

He knew their hearts, but he had thought, “They’re trying to be good.

That’s good enough to make the list. Otherwise no one would!”

*

So every year their “good enough” with toys would be rewarded.

And every year (he realised) this message he supported:

*

THE “GOOD” WILL GET THE PRESENTS.

THE “BAD” WILL GET THE COAL.

AND TRYING TO BE GOOD ENOUGH

IS GOOD ENOUGH A GOAL.

*

That was the message that he knew, but now he knew another.

He had just heard the gospel. So he compared them to each other.

*

The message of the gospel turned his message upside down.

The good, the bad, naughty and nice, it switched it all around.

*

“There’s no one good but God alone” he’d heard Jesus concluded.

And those who claim they’re “good enough” are simply just deluded.

*

If there’s a list of who is “good”, the standard we’ve all missed.

And Santa saw that even he was on the naughty list.

*

That shook his world. That rocked his boat. That gripped him in his soul.

To think that even Santa Claus deserved a lump of coal.

*

But that was only half of what the gospel message said.

It also flipped what happened to the naughty on its head.

*

Instead of being written off as just not good enough.

The message to the naughty list was one of grace and love.

*

The gospel offered mercy to all those deserving coal.

The gospel offered forgiveness and cleansing of your soul.

*

The gospel told how Jesus died our death to pay the price

To reconcile us all to God – both naughty and the nice.

*

This offer was a real gift, unlike presents ‘neath the tree.

It was not earned by being good. It was offered for free.

*

For all his life Santa had claimed that if you had been bad

Then you would not get presents and your Christmas would be sad.

*

Santa compared his message with this new one he had learned.

His message said you get the presents your good deeds had earned.

*

The message of the gospel offered something so much greater…

Jesus had come to reconcile the world to their Creator.

*

When Santa grasped the gospel, he did not know what to do

And so the elf said nervously, “How ’bout I pray with you?”

*

Then that night at the North Pole, by the fire in his den,

With a simple prayer led by an elf, Santa was born again.

*

And now, in Christ, forgiven, free – his new life had begun

and Santa had a new message to share with everyone.

The Cross

The Cross In My Pocket

 
I carry a cross in my pocket,
a simple reminder to me
of the fact that I am a Christian
no matter where I may be.
This little cross is not magic
nor is it a good luck charm.
It isn't meant to protect me
from every physical harm.
It's not for identification,
for all the world to see.
It's simply an understanding
between my Savior and me.
When I put my hand in my pocket
to bring out a coin or key,
the Cross is there to remind me
of the price He paid for me.
It reminds me too, to be thankful,
for my blessings day by day,
and to strive to serve Him better
in all that I do and say.
It's also a daily reminder
of the peace and comfort I share
with all who know my Master
and give themselves to His care.
So, I carry a cross in my pocket,
reminding no one but me,
that Jesus Christ is Lord of my life,
if only I'll let Him be.
    By Verna Thomas

All that you wish for
that is honest and true
The Lord will certainly
give to you -
Not always the way
you most desire,
But He always gives
what you most require.

-Helen Steiner Rice

I AM A CHRISTIAN

When I say... "I am a Christian
"I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin.
" I'm whispering "I was lost,"
Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say.. "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible but,
God believes I am worth it.

When I say.. "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
who received God's good grace, somehow.

Author ~Maya Angelou~