Ginny Ellis

 


(Sadly Ginny passed away July 2023.)

Her original remarks in our blog;

I am enjoying my retirement years by indulging in my hobby
 of writing poetry, and I love it.  I love being published on the Internet,
because that has enabled me to make so many new and
wonderful friends worldwide.  I feel that WebPages are almost a
"new" art form, because the combination of poetry with 
appropriate artwork and music makes a complete and wonderful
package - a new dimension freely available to anyone for the asking.
I feel so privileged to be allowed to play a small part
in this new and challenging medium.

MILITARY WOMEN

by Virginia (Ginny) Ellis

We are military women,
Who’ve never left this land for war,
Our battleground is here at home,
And our home’s what we fight for.

Our attire has no insignia,
No ribbons, epaulets, or bars,
No shining medals of distinction,
No gold, or bronze, or silver stars.

Our normal dress is jeans and sweats,
That’s a sort of uniform, I s’pose,
Just right for what we do at home,
Thus, they must be military clothes.

Our duty is to keep our homes,
As safe as safe can be,
And to keep the home fires burning,
For dear ones here and overseas.

We’re mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts,
We’re worriers . . . and warriors,
We stand tall and do not fall
Indeed, we are superior.

We are an army of strong women,
Who do not jump to buglers’ horns,
We bear no destructive weapons,
And our jeans are uniforms.

We tend and tend and tend again
To our families and our homes,
With all our might, we fight and fight
To win our wars and hold our own.

(C) January 2009 Virginia (Ginny) Ellis
Read more poetry of Ginny’s here.

by Sheryl Roush and Eldonna Lewis Fernandez.

All original and true short stories, poems, and tributes from military personnel, their families and loved ones.


VIRGINIA "GINNY"'S OBITUARY

Virginia “Ginny” Mortenson Ellis, 84, of Hinckley, Minnesota, passed away peacefully in her sleep at Elderwood on Monday, July 17, 2023.  She was born on December 1, 1938 to Fritz and Florence Mortenson.  Ginny graduated from Hinckley High School in 1956 and worked various jobs throughout the community.  She took the most pride in being a mother and homemaker to her five children.  Ginny was an avid bowler on a local team for many years and also had a love for Bingo.

She is preceded in death by her parents, two sons; Kenny Anderson and Richy Anderson, three sisters; Lucille Cabak, Francis "Toots" Kurkowski, and Irene Cates, two brothers; Lyle Mortenson and Raymond Lundquist.

Ginny is survived by her daughters; Kari (Kelly) O’Donovan and Reena (Steve) Hawthorne, son Keith Anderson and daughter-in-law Anne Anderson, 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, sister Arlene (David) Hart, and brother Dean (Karen) Mortenson, and a large extended family.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, August 20, 2023 at Methven Funeral Chapel in Sandstone, Minnesota, from 4:00PM to 6:00PM with a Prayer Service led by Pastor Brenda Wicklund at 5:00.  Refreshments will be served throughout the celebration. 

Arrangements by Methven Funeral and Cremation Services, Tatting Methven Chapel, Hinckley, Minnesota



A Tsunami Inspired Prayer 
 

Out of the blue, the monster came, 

And began its merciless attack, 

Its watery claws snatched up everyone, 

That dared to cross its path. 


God bless the mother whose tiny babe, 

Was wrestled out of her hands, 

Whose lifeless form was tossed and  turned, 

Upon the churning sands. 


God bless the father who fought the water, 

To save his baby boy, 

Yet the greedy sea claimed victory, 

And stole his pride and joy. 


God bless the children who ran with glee, 

To see the massive waves. 

Who could not know nor comprehend, 

They were racing to their graves. 


God bless the loved ones washed out to sea, 

And those battered and left on the shore, 

And God bless those who watched from the heights, 

Until they could watch no more. 


We have no right to question God, 

Yet we cannot help but wonder why 

So many folks were lost and hurt, 

And why so many had to die. 


Innocence, now gone forever. 

Earth, shaken to its very core, 

This world, forsaken by mankind,  

Soon may exist no more. 


God help those in their misery, 

And forgive them of their sins, 

Protect and cherish each soul lost, 

And help us all. Amen! 

Virginia (Ginny) Ellis © December 2004 

Used with permission







In the woods, up in the mountains,
Where it's lush and green and cool,
There are many little lakes and streams,
And little mountain pools.

Not only are they works of beauty,
But they serve a purpose, too,
They supply the creatures of the forest,
Both with water and with food.

Mostly they are quiet spots,
Where man retires to reflect,
He likes the stillness and serenity,
Which helps refresh his God respect.

Often further in the mountains,
Sometimes above a pool or pond,
Are even grander signs of God,
To which man excitedly responds.

An ear gives man his first alert,
A loud roar high in the mountain,
He rounds a curve and then observes,
A crashing water fountain.

Majestic and magnificent,
Man stands back in total awe,
Humbled in God's presence,
At a tumultuous waterfall.

Bejeweled by rays of sunshine,
Drops splash crystalline and pure,
Can't be captured for the market,
But here are free and lovelier.

At the edges of the rushing falls,
Forest creatures come to bathe,
Bear cubs frolic in the water,
And deer stand near to watch them play.

Cascading waters ever flow,
As they have since time began,
Man marvels at God's holy works,
Which he will never understand..

Man can construct hydraulic dams,
And reroute river streams,
But he can't duplicate God's plans,
Not even half as well, it seems.

Man on earth will never know,
How God created mountains,
Nor will he ever figure out,
The workings of God's fountains.

Let man stand in awe and praise the Lord,
Be grateful and thanksgiving,
When he gets to heaven, he'll learn how,
God's waterfalls outwit him.


~ Virginia Ellis ~
Copyright © 2000





CHRISTMAS 
HERE ALL YEAR

We have Christmas each December,
Which is appropriate and fine,
The whole world comes together,
For Christmas at that time.

Everyone sings Christmas carols,
And pays homage to the Lord,
And if a child's good all year,
Santa brings him just rewards.

Since everyone's so happy,
And there's so much love and cheer,
Don't you think it would be grand,
To have Christmas here all year?

We could play our Yuletide music,
Whenever we desired,
And hear those songs of Christmas
That encourage and inspire.

On New Year's Eve, we'd drink a toast,
Of festive, sparkling wine,
And ring out joyous Christmas bells,
While singing "Auld Lang Syne."

 We'd hug and kiss on Valentine's Day,
(Love is such a worthy cause),
Then we'd giggle and we'd sing,
 "We Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."

We'd sing,"Away in the Manger,"
No Crib for a Bed."
While Spring Robins are building
Snug nests for wee heads.

"Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle All the Way."
Now, wouldn't that be fun  to sing,
Each Saint Paddy's Day?

"Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly,"
Cherry blossoms bloom in May,
"'Tis the Season to be Jolly,"
See the hummingbirds at play.

"Joy to the World" in August,
Would make us smile and make us glad,
It would be our neighbors' problem,
If they heard our song and thought us mad.

When a harvest moon hangs in the sky,
And the whole world's bathed in gold,
We would think about "A Midnight Clear,
And That Glorious Story of Old."

I love the Christmas music,
Playing softly in my ear,
September or November,
I don't care the time of year.

Why not celebrate the Lord,
And play His music all year round,
And fill our spirits and our hearts,
With joyful Christmas sounds?

 But even more than that, perhaps,
We might bring pleasure to our Lord,
By singing songs for Him all year,
"Oh, Come Let us Adore."

Virginia (Ginny) Ellis
Copyright March 2005




A Mother's 
Message from 
Heaven
I see you, darling, all the time,
I know everything you do,
Would you believe, my dearest child
I'm even closer now to you.

For I can see inside your mind,
Indeed, inside your heart,
I even know you better now,
Than I did before, sweetheart.



I've always loved you - you know that,
But maybe now I love you more,
I love the adult that you've become,
Just as I loved the child before.

I know how much you miss me, honey,
Well, I miss you, too,
I miss our talking and our laughing,
And all we used to do.



Whether you are six or sixty,
You'll always be my precious child,
You're the baby that I carried,
And the adult that's helped me smile.

What you need to understand,
Though death has taken me away,
Is that I've not left you, darling,
I am still with you today.



Honey, I could never leave you,
God, of course, would not want that,
Physically, we are apart,
But our hearts are still attached.

I love you all the time,
You cannot get away from me,
That's the way a Mother is,
Right into eternity.



Every day I'm with you
I see you from above,
And I want for you to know
How very much you're loved.

© Virginia (Ginny) Ellis ~ May 2003

Please respect author copyright, do not use or copy
poetry without first seeking permission from the author.




Teach me to love, Lord, as You love,
Make it unconditional, honest, and kind,
To ask nothing back in return, Lord,
To encompass the whole of mankind.

May I offer my love without speaking,
May it radiate as it shines forth from me,
May it be seen in my face and my eyes, Lord,
May it be simple, sincere, and shame-free.

Show me how to forgive, Lord, as You do,
To not burden another with guilt,
To not play the role of the martyr,
To be a rock on which trust may be built.

Make my love for others be greater by far
Than any love that is offered to me,
Led by the Spirit, Inspired of God,
As forgiving as Jesus...and free.

Poem was written and copyrighted by
Virginia (Ginny) Ellis







He knew he really loved her,
Right from the very start,
It only took one look,
And he wholly lost his heart.



So many guys admired her,
How could he possibly compete?
He watched her with deep longing,
So beautiful - so sweet.



He dreamed about her day and night,
How he'd like to bring her home,
To introduce her to his folks,
And declare she was his own.



Alas!  Alack!  Small chance he had,
She was truly out of his league,
But no way could he forget her,
He was totally intrigued.



Sometimes she seemed aloof,
Which he thought was so unkind,
Yet other times she noticed him,
And he thought that was just fine.



The young man couldn't help it,
He completely fell in love,
He fell just like a ton of bricks
From a hundred feet above.



A terrible thing to be in love,
And to be kept apart by fate,
With no one really caring
About one's great heartache.



But one day things seemed better,
His pain was soothed and eased,
The problem was resolved,
And his anguish was relieved.



A sign went up in the window
Of the shop on Valentine's Day,
 EVERYTHING IN THE PLACE HALF PRICE!
MUST BE SOLD TODAY!



The young man emptied his pockets,
He had just enough to buy
That doggy in the window,
The love that caught his eye!



HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!


Virginia (Ginny) Ellis
Copyright February 2004



Barefoot 
Contessa

They called her The Barefoot Contessa,
A tiara of gold graced her hair,
She was aloof and independent,
A homeless soul with an air.


On her frame and tiny shoulders,
Were layers of unmatched clothes,
And on her feet were open sandals,
That showed she wore no hose.

I became aware of her one Fall,
I saw her going through our trash,
And I wondered, as I watched her,
What set her on this path.

Was she once somebody's daughter?
And once somebody's wife?
If she'd had some kids, where were they?
She must be old; her hair was white.

She came on a regular basis,
Wednesdays - late in the day,
That's when our trash went out,
Our old stuff and throw-aways.

She went through each trash container,
Putting items in her cart,
Claiming treasures, as she found them,
Her actions broke my heart.

Once I tried to give her cash,
Money from my pocket,
She looked at me like I was rude,
As if I'd really lost it.

I watched her on her weekly quest,
Sometimes her pickings were quite good,
Other times she left with nothing,
Let down by the neighborhood.


Shortly, Fall turned into Winter,
Ice and snow were everywhere,
Yet, she still wore those open sandals,
And her poor toes were cold and bare.

At anything I offered her,
She'd look hurt and back away,
She'd not accept a gift from me,
Her pride (what else?) was in the way.

On our coldest day that winter,
When we went to zero and below,
I couldn't stand it any longer,
I must do something or explode.


So, to keep my lady warm,
I soon devised a plan,
I told no one about it,
And the next day my plan began.

I took my husband's fur-lined boots,
Which he hadn't worn in years,
I put them in the trash can,
And said, "So long, my dears."

Then, I took my old, wool coat,
Much too long and out of style,
It folded neatly on the boots,
I gave it a farewell smile.

Next, the piece de re'sistance,
My old, winter, dress-up hat,
And a hand-knit scarf and gloves,
Which all got goodbye pats.

I couldn't wait to put the trash out,
That day - the worst blizzard of the year,
I couldn't see through all that snow,
But I learned later she was here.

The next week The Barefoot Contessa,
Appeared with her new boots and coat,
Her back seemed a little straighter,
And there was a scarf about her throat.

And on her head - that winter hat,
Plus - what else did I behold?
On top the hat, in all its glory,
Was her tiara made of gold.

I have another secret,
Which I never will reveal,
In the pocket of that old, wool coat,
I'd tucked two twenty dollar bills.

Oh, My Proud Barefoot Contessa,
Who would not accept my gifts of cash,
Your dignity has been preserved,
And your pride is still intact.

You couldn't know your crown of gold,
Would do us both much good,
Yet when our eyes met later on,
You and I both understood.

Barefoot Contessa ~ Written by
Virginia Ellis 2002

Angel In Your Pocket

Virginia Ginny Ellis

I am a tiny Angel...
I'm smaller than your thumb;
I live in people's pockets,
That's where I have my fun.

I don't suppose you've seen me,
I'm too tiny to detect;
Though I'm with you all the time,
I doubt we've ever met.

Before I was an Angel...
I was a fairy in a flower;
God, Himself, hand-picked me,
And gave me Angel power.

Now God has many Angels
That He trains in Angel pools;
We become His eyes, and ears, and hands..
We become His special tools.

And because God is so busy,
With way too much to do;
He said that my assignment
Is to keep close watch on you.

When he tucked me in your pocket,
He blessed you with Angel care;
Then told me never to leave you,
And I vowed always to be there!





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