God of Real things.

Based on a true story :-)

I knocked my nativity set over
It had been neatly set out and displayed
I bought it a number of years ago
So it's a little bit old I'm afraid

But, each year I remove all the wrapping
And I take out each small wooden shape
The stable doors are opened
And a nice little scene I create

There's a star on the top - it slots into the roof
But each year there's a little less straw
I felt sad when I knocked it all flying
And Joseph fell onto the floor.

Two of the wise men fell over
Though the other remained on his knees
As he offered a gift to the baby
and the donkey looked on, none too pleased.

Yet Mary seemed quite unaffected
And that's how she's often portrayed
Incredibly calm and collected
In clean, uncreased clothing arrayed.

The reality though would be different
With noises and smells all around
and numerous people milling about
in a strange, unfamiliar town.

Mary would surely be tired
And Joseph a little concerned
by the angels and wisemen and shepherds
and the strange revelations they'd learned.

In all of that chaos, a baby cries
God in human form
In amidst the discomfort and disarray
Our Saviour, our King was born.

And it's often in our darkest times
That God is really found
When we're frightened or we're struggling
When there's no-one else around

He steps into our chaos
Our disrupted lives, our mess
He's there right in the midst of it
To ease our pain, our stress

Let's not pack Jesus away again
When Christmas has passed by
You can't wrap him up and hide him
No matter how hard you try.

He's a real God, for real life
For whatever you're going through
And He wants you to believe in Him
He wants to be real to you.

Karen Holmes
21 December 2013

The Ghost of the snowmen

This is a poem written for the Penny Black which I frequent regularly.  They have had problems during this year with the plumbing and water pouring through the ceiling - here is the real explanation.

Twas the night before Christmas at the Penny Black
Two snowmen and penguins dropped in for a chat
They stood at the bar and gulped down some beer
They seemed in fine spirits and full of good cheer
There was mischief afoot though, a glint in their eyes
For they planned misadventure, an awful surprise!

Now those of the bar staff who worked Christmas eve
Had lost faith in Santa and scarcely believed
But still they had hoped that peace would prevail
They'd checked all the food - all was fresh, nothing stale
They'd had a new carpet for the mad, festive season
And felt quietly confident - not without reason

But the penguins and snowmen had wicked intent
They drank at the bar and then upstairs they went
They'd sneaked in some baileys and a bottle of sherry
And slowly, but noisily got rather merry
They sang Christmas songs at the top of their voices
(some customers left when they missed out their choices!)
The snowmen and penguins got drunker than lords
And threats of a ban were completely ignored.

The staff were so shocked as they showed them the door
They'd never had penguins behave badly before!
Then suddenly getting quite red in the face
The penguins all shouted "it's too hot in this place
Can't you turn down the heating? we're feeling quite ill"
Then they left and went dancing round Sir Rowland Hill!

But strangely the snowmen had quite disappeared
No-one could explain it, though all thought it weird.
The truth of the mystery is easy to tell
The snowmen got warmer and didn't feel well
They started to melt and they dripped on the floor
And the ghost of the snowmen remains evermore!

For once in a while, the ghost haunts the pub
It drips through the ceiling on customer's grub!
The staff blame the plumbing and say there's a leak
for of penguins and snowmen they're frightened to speak!
And, each night before Christmas by old Rowland Hill
The penguins still gather and remember them still
Then they glance towards Pennies, with a glint in their eye
As with two little drips, the snowmen say "hi"

Karen Holmes
14 December 2013