look back

it’s easy to look back

and hear the angry voices,

see the horrific images,

remember the painful stories,

recall the broken places, so

help me to remember

the friend who made

my heart laugh

every time we talked;

the child who trusted

me enough to

read aloud haltingly;

the moon winking

through the blinds;

the grace which

never abandoned me,

especially when i felt

most alone.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

December 30th

“Let everything that breathes

         praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD!”  Psalm 150:6

when we could

inhale the sweet

air of grace and sing,

we let our

grudges

suck the breath

right out of our

souls.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

December 29th

“On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,’”  John 7:37

when we are

parched for hope,

when the wells

of our souls run dry,

when we are

so thirsty we

cannot taste life,

you had us

the cup of grace,

saying, ‘drink deeply;

it will never run out.’

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

December 28th

“See, I have inscribed you on the

         palms of my hands;” Isaiah 49:16a

when you cup water

for a cooling drink,

you see us;

when you rub your face

in weariness at our foolishness,

you forgive us;

when you gather up

our cries and prayers to your heart,

you comfort us;

whatever, wherever,

whoever, whenever we are,

you never wash your hands

of us

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

December 27th

as we step over

the toys which are cracked,

the games whose

batteries have faded,

the clothes with

set-in wrinkles, remind

us that love never wears out,

grace needs no ironing,

and though chipped and nicked,

hope is still as durable

as your heart.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Boxing Day

now,

let us not crumple

grace

and toss it out

with the wrapping paper;

now,

let us not crush

hope

with the rest

of the boxes

before putting them

out in the bin;

now,

let us not put the

Baby

back in the closet,

but see him in

everyone we meet.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Christmas Day

we look for you

in the messy stable,

but you are gone,

searching for the hungry

children you hear crying in the night,

the lonely widow who paces

the floor, as tears run down her cheeks;

we look for you

in the manger where

you were laid at birth,

but you are out

cradling those whose holiday

is spent in a hospital bed,

or sitting next to a friend

who is reliving his childhood

in a memory unit;

we come to Bethlehem

to find the tiny, innocent baby

so we can sing carols

and tell you bedtime stories

but you are running with

first responders into danger,

at the side of those who work

so we can take time off from our jobs,

walking with those who have

been turned away from the inn

managed by fear and greed;

we come on this holy morning

to be with you, Jesus,

but we may be in the wrong place.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

December 24th

“to give light to those who sit

         in darkness and in the

         shadow of death,

   to guide our feet into the

         way of peace.”  Luke 1:79

with stubbornness

as our default setting,

we would rather keep

down the roads potholed

with anger, bitterness,

and hate, rather

than giving you time

to repave them with

peace and grace.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

December 23rd

“For the LORD is our judge,

         the LORD is our ruler,

   the LORD is our king;

         he will save us.”  Isaiah 33:22

our babysitter,

you tuck us in at night

with a story and a kiss,

   then settle down in

   the rocker to watch over us;

our baker,

you roll out the dough,

kneading and shaping it,

   so it can become that

   bread which gives us life;

our sommelier,

you decant the finest

vintage of grace,

   and offer it to us,

   warning to sip slowly;

our heart,

you break it into

a million pieces,

   to make us whole

   once and for all.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

December 22nd

“Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.”  Revelation 21:25

as we argue

over funding walls,

throw up more and

more gated communities,

devise safer and more

high-tech security systems,

you are pushing open the windows,

propping open the doors,

and putting welcome

mats down the walkways

leading to your heart.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

December 21st

“The meek shall obtain fresh

         joy in the LORD,

   and the neediest people

         shall exult in the

         Holy One of Israel.”  Isaiah 29:19

like the tangerine

in the toe of the stocking

hung on the mantle, or

the oranges of Christingle,

your joy brings wonder to all

who taste its goodness, as

its sweetness takes away

the bitterness of despair,

and offers light to all

who wander the shadows.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

December 20th

“Steadfast love and faithfulness

         will meet;

   righteousness and peace will

         kiss each other.”  Psalm 85:10

like friends at a

class reunion who

crush each other

in bear hugs after

an absence of 50 years,

love and grace twirl

each other round and round;

peace and hope

can’t stop staring

into each other’s eyes,

looking past the wrinkles

of all the years to see

the other as they were

when both were young.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

December 19th

“On that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that is left of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Ethiopia, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.”  Isaiah 11:11

on this day,

let us reach out

to the elderly

whose slow steps

make them targets

in crosswalks;

to the little kids

knocked over by bullies

every morning;

to teenagers

whose fears hide

in their wardrobes;

to the lonely, the forgotten,

the refugees, the rough sleepers;

on this day,

and every day,

let us reach out.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

December 18th

“As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.”  Ephesians 6:15

sometimes, it is the work boots

worn, clearing vacant lots so

gardens can be planted;

sometimes, it is dress shoes

for dancing with the ex at

your daughter’s wedding;

sometimes, it is the

sneakers with holes

from playing tennis with the kid

you are mentoring, but

peace’s footwear comes

in all sizes, all styles,

all conditions, always.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Third Monday of Advent

“He put a new song in my mouth,

   a song of praise to our God. “ Psalm 40:3a

when we call an

old friend out of the blue,

saying, ‘I just wanted

to hear our voice;’

when we say ‘thank you’

to the curmudgeonly crossing guard

and leave her with a smile;

when we tell our soulmates

we love them (and really

mean the words), we

sing your new songs,

Lyricist of creation.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Third Sunday of Advent

“Lead me in your truth, and

         teach me,

   for you are the God of my

         salvation,

   for you I wait all day long.”  Psalm 25:5

the waiting

would be easier,

if you came as

an IM, a tweet,

or an emoji/GIF

response to a post, but

you come in the

silence at the end

of a long day,

in the warm hand

of a little child

on a winter morning,

in the lengthy letter

from an old friend.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Second Saturday of Advent

“He said to them, ‘When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?’ They said, ‘No, not a thing.’”  Luke 22:35

when

we who have

so much act as if

we live on the edge

of scarcity, its it

any wonder we easily

dismiss those who

truly live on despair’s

doorstep?

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Second Friday of Advent

“But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord . . .”  2 Thessalonians 2:13a

always?

the person who

cuts me off in

meetings at work;

the kid who argues

with everything

i say;

the friend who

turns their back on me

when i approach . . .

give thanks

always!

really?

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Second Thursday of Advent

“For God alone my souls waits in silence,

   for my hope is from him.”  Psalm 62:5

each day,

not just once

a year, hope

is waiting for me,

under the branches

of my soul,

to be opened

and lived.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Second Wednesday of Advent

“They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him.  Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.”  John 8:6

taking your finger

and touching the ground

where the bile from their lips,

the feardrops from their eyes,

the judgment leaking from their hearts

had fallen, you

swirl it all into

a marvelous sand painting

entitled ‘forgiveness,’ revealing

it to those who had souls

to see.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Second Tuesday of Advent

“But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters . . .  Be at peace among yourselves.”  1 Thessalonians 5:12a, 13b

when we could

hurl angry words,

   let us whisper love;

when we could

push another away,

   let us draw them

   into the arms of grace;

when we could

throw temper tantrums,

   let us be

   bearers of peace.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Second Monday of Advent

“For evils have encompassed me
    without number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
    until I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head,
    and my heart fails me.” Psalm 40:12

if it were a sprint,

all my foolish choices

would easily catch

up with me, blocking

the way, but since

grace is a marathon,

you set the pace so

together, we might

cross the finish line.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Second Sunday of Advent

“Let me sing for my beloved

   my love-song concerning

      his vineyard.”  Isaiah 5:1a

sometimes

your songs of love are

hammers building

   hope in empty lots,

peanut butter and jelly

being spread for sandwiches

   for park bench sleepers,

excited barks of shelter dogs

   playing with their forever family,

wrapping paper being ripped

off toys, games, and clothes

   by kids who believed

   no one cared about them.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

First Saturday of Advent

“For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven . . .”1^st Thessalonians 4:16

in the baby’s tiny

fist grasping its mom’s finger;

in the purring of a kitten

that lulls us to sleep;

in the tiptoes of

a teenager creeping off early

to school each morning;

in every breath

   of peace,

every whisper

   of hope,

every sigh

   of grace,

you come . . .

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

First Friday of Advent

“Now concerning the love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another;” 1^st Thessalonians 4:9

sitting at our desks,

we carefully write in

our notebooks the assignment,

‘love one another,’ and

as soon as your back

is turned, we tear out

the pages, making them

into spitballs we throw

at each other out on the

playground.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

First Thursday of Advent

“I love you, O LORD, my strength” 

Psalm 18:1

i’m not sure which

is more of a paradox:

that your weakness

makes me stronger,

your foolishness

makes me wiser,

or that your brokenness

makes me whole.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

First Wednesday of Advent

“Hear a just cause, O Lord;

         attend to my cry;

   give ear to my prayer from

         lips free of deceit.” Psalm 17:1

if we ignore the

cries of those we

feel have no cause,

   we will not hear

   your prayers for justice;

if we are not willing

to bend down to listen

to the whispers of little ones,

   we will not hear

   your grace tickling

   our ears.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

First Tuesday of Advent

“Sing to him a new song;”  Psalm 33:3a

with lyrics written

by little children

in bubble-filled bathtubs

and teenagers rapping

about injustices;

with music composed

by a father lullabying

his baby to sleep

and a grandmother

humming a tune known

only to her in second childhood,

let us sing praises

to our God.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

First Monday of Advent

“What to me is the multitude

         of your sacrifices,

   says the Lord;

I have had enough of burnt

         offerings of rams

   and the fat of fed beasts;

I do not delight in the blood of

         bulls,

   or of lambs, or of goats.” Isaiah 1:11

when we pay off

the school lunch debt

of children;

when our hands

are cracked and sore

from building bridges, not walls;

when our care for

the most vulnerable

is costlier than the gifts

under the tree,

   delight in us,

   O God,

   delight in us.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

First Sunday of Advent

“Turn to me and be gracious to

         me,

   for I am lonely and afflicted.” Psalm 25:16

in this season

of parties, families,

gifting, and joy,

may we be companions

for those walking

the paths of loneliness;

may we be comforters

who cradle the

   brokenness

around us.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

new year's eve

as we celebrate, not

with parties, fireworks,

dancing, and wine, but

by living the same old life

in the same old way,

may we sense just

the slightest tremor in the earth,

a subtle shift in the stars,

a breath of fresh hope

tingling our souls.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

bargains

just because

they are continually on sale,

doesn’t mean fear,

anger, vengeance,

are bargains we need

to snatch up before anyone else does.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

how?

God, how is it

you find it so easy

to give away so much,

when we are fearful

we won’t have enough

for our cup of coffee, if

we help someone on the street?

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

brrr

how cold is it?

it’s cold enough to break out

hope-insulated grace, to warm others

frostbitten by the frigid words

of the fear-mongers and isolationists.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

cost

when we see compassion

   as a commodity,

grace as only a tip

   for good service,

hope as a discard

   for the thrift store,

life becomes private enterprise,

not a force for good and change.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

cyber monday

building sand castles or snow people,

raking leaves or walking in woods,

reading to older folks or mentoring kids,

steer us towards all the things

we could be doing today,

offline,

O God.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

saturday grace

not in the frenzied crowds,

but the warm hand of a little child;

not in the pile of packages at the door,

but in the kitten in our lap;

not in the record-breaking sales,

but in the caring of the most vulnerable,

will we find the grace you offer.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

Grace Friday

more than a framed cross stitch,

grace is that worn soul,

patched with pieces of hope and love

gifted by those around us,

stitched together by the tensile threads

woven from the Lamb’s wool.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

fourgrace

more than just a word,

grace begins when we set down

our anger to share hope,

when we see strangers as us,

when we seat the hungry at our table

not just drop off a box at their house.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

grace3

more than just a bagpipe’s

drone, grace is a grandmother

crafting wooden toys,

children’s whispers about santa letters,

a dad humming while making a pie.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

gracetoo

more than just a hymn,

grace is amazing when kids

welcome outsiders,

when refugees start foodbanks,

when felons are offered jobs.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

grace

grace is more than just

a few words mumbled before

rushing through a meal,

it is the twinkle placed in

our hearts by the one across the table,

the smile etched on our eyes

by their welcoming soul.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman

this day

may we break our fast

embracing justice;

may we share a sandwich

with hope at lunch;

may we offer peace

to neighbors and strangers

as we settle down for the night.

© 2018 Thom M. Shuman