hopefull

“Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with boldness,”  2 Corinthians 3:12

now,

we will not fall silent,

but be more vocal

about welcoming every one;

we will not let the cherry pickers

toss aside God’s words

of grace, hope, affirmation;

we will not let  the arm of judgment

become more important

than the arc of justice;

since we have such

hope

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

aroma

“For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;” 2 Corinthians 2:15

too often

we offer the stench of

   judgment

   prejudice

   self-righteousness

   exclusion

to those who long for

the fragrance of grace

to touch them

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

sandstone

“To you, O LORD, I call;

   my rock, do not refuse to hear

         me,”  Psalm 28:1a

when i find offering

my soul to others

is like talking to a

      brick wall,

you are sandstone,

holding our tears and fears,

our hopes and hurts

      like a sponge,

filtering them into

gentle drops of grace.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

hopefully

“Our hope for you is unshaken;” 2 Corinthians 1:7a

that we will build bridges,

   and not walls;

that we will see each person

as God’s beloved,

   and not an enemy;

that we will treasure each child

for who they are,

   and not what a piece of paper says;

that we will create open communities,

   and not live behind gates;

that we will love more deeply

   and give more generously,

our hope is unshaken, even

as we seek to stir others

(and ourselves)

to more hopeful lives.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman  

comfort, my people

“As a mother comforts her

         child,

   so I will comfort you;

   you shall be comforted in

         Jerusalem.”  Isaiah 66:13

on playgrounds

where skinned knees

and hurtful words abound;

at borders where

families at torn apart;

in hospice rooms,

where loved ones

take that final breath

to leap into your love:

comfort us,

tender God,

comfort us.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

pierced

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.” 1 Timothy 6:10

tempted to plant myself

in the rich soil of greed,

may i

care more for the poor

than my portfolio;

find shelter for the wanderers

before buying a second home;

buy as many groceries

for the food bank

as i do for my own needs;

bandage the skinned souls

of those tripped by

the indifference of the world

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

joy

“But be glad and rejoice

         forever

   in what I am creating;” Isaiah 65:18a

sometimes

it is only a whisper

   in the trees,

or the silly song

   of a six-year-old;

sometimes

it is the papery-skinned

   touch of a gran,

or the warm hug

   of a friend not seen in years;

sometimes

it is soft rain

   washing our face,

or the drops shaken off

   a wet-headed cat,

but in every moment,

you are in our midst,

and we rejoice.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

you

“I was ready to be sought

         out by those who did

         not ask,

   to be found by those who

         did not seek me.”  Isaiah 65:1a

you

are the answer

to the questions

which wake us up

in the middle of the night,

and follow us

like a stray kitten 

each day;

you

are the fork

in the road we

always choose

not to take;

you

are the home

we pass by

in our rush to

finish each to-day list,

until we pause and

notice the rocker on the porch

has our name on it.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

coffeehouse theologians

“You meet those who gladly do right,

those who remember you in your ways.” Isaiah 64:5a

taking the cup from the barista

with a warm smile and warmer tip,

you come over to where

we are sitting, licking foam

from our fingers as we are

hypnotized by our devices,

and as we bemoan all the hurt

and vitriol around us, you invite

us to spend time with you

at the free health clinic with

folks who need attention more

than our social media does

and walk out the door

hoping we will follow you

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

you

“and he became their savior

   in all their distress.

It was no anguish* or angel

   but his presence that saved

         them;” Isaiah 63:9

no hand-wringing

in the solemn hours

of the night, nor

any paladin on

a white horse

riding to our rescue,

but your gentle spirit,

your whispered lullaby

your comfortable lap,

you simply being you

which brings us home

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

*- alternate word

no holiday

“They rise in the darkness as

         a light for the upright;

   they are gracious,

         merciful, and

         righteous.”  Psalm 112:4

in the morning gloom

you dress quietly,

putting on your work boots

in the kitchen so as

not to disturb us sleeping

under the warm covers, and

stepping outside, you greet

your neighbors Justice, Mercy,

and Grace, and together,

you walk down to the corners

where the vulnerable are huddled

wondering if anyone ever notices them.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

shhhhh

a soft caress

on the cheek

to calm us;

a gust of wind

to knock us

off our pride;

a rain shower

to wash stained

words off our souls;

a dust pan and broom

to gather up

all our tears

and toss them away –

(your) silence

comes in many

forms.

(c) 2019 Thom M. Shuman

classroom

“For the time is coming when people will not out up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

knees scrunched tight

under the desks, we

lick the tip of our pencils

and begin to carefully

copy into our notebook

what the teacher is writing

on the chalkboard, making

sure every fabrication and

foolish statement is letter-perfect,

while you are outside,

turning cartwheels with

justice and grace, hoping

we will look up, notice,

and slip out the door to join you

before the final bell rings.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

after

glutted on chocolate,

   may I remember those

   who are still hungry;

as the rose petals

begin to wilt,

   may I offer a bouquet

   of hope to those I meet;

as the cards and envelopes

are recycled or put in a drawer,

   may I drop a note

   to a lonely friend;

as the world turns its attention

to the next big holiday,

   may I never forget

   to keep loving.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

distracted living

“Lift up your eyes and look around;

they gather altogether, they come to you;” Isaiah 60:4a

arms cramped with plastic

bags of food for her kids,

a young mother trudges

through a driving painstorm,

soaked to her soul;

as the winter storm

roars into town, a

PTSDed vet huddles

in a doorway just across

from the shelter

that has no more beds;

at the bus stop, a

child stands off from

his classmates, with a look

that says, ‘will give everything

for a friend,’ but

we are too busy

looking down at our

devices

to notice

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

wellcare

Lord,

shouldn’t ensuring that

folks have access

to healthcare,

affordable housing,

transportation,

safe neighborhoods,

and more-than-adequate food

be considered wellcare,

not welfare?

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

business card

focused on

doing everything

decently and in order with

spotless desks,

books in neat rows

(alphabetically or topically

   or both),

our to-do lists checked,

we never read

your business card

stuck in the drawer:

‘herder of miscues;

Brother to the messy’

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

no questions

“But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.”  Mark 9:32

pretty sure you implied that

grace

   means holding a grudge,

hope

   is wasted on the wrong folk,

love

   is only for a select few, and

forgiveness

   should be hoarded in our hearts,

we see no need

to ask for any clarifications.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

seeing

help us

to be able to look

outside

   our worries

   our questions

   our minds, and

see into the wonders

of blue skies

    lapping waves

    dancing snowflakes

    brittle stars

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

words

they creep in,

walking around my

      life,

putting pictures on

      mantles,

spackling holes i

make with my anger,

gathering up the

dust bunnies of worry

     and tossing them

     in the bin;

they creep in, these

words

   of yours.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

turn, turn, turn

“In overflowing wrath for a

         moment

   I hid my face from you,

but with everlasting love I will

         have compassion on you,

   says the LORD, your Redeemer.”  Isaiah 54:8

while we spin away

shouting, ‘I never want

to see you again!’ at someone

and stick to that resolve, you

take a deep breath,

turning to face us,

breathing grace upon us

in that moment and all which follow,

Redeemer.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

somewhere

somewhere today,

kindness will be knitting

a prayer shawl;

justice will be challenging

power to change its ways;

grace will be walking

with a lonely child to school;

hope will be pulling up

a chair by a hospital bed;

today, where will we be?

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

signs

“And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation ask of a sign?  Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”  Mark 8:12

neck stained, eyes searching

through the rain streaked windows

for the street signs marking the intersection

of Privilege and Uncaring,

we miss the chance to

turn down the street of sighs

where we could find

strength in weakness,

healing in forgiveness,

life in serving,

grace in letting go of pride;

and

you, waiting by the side

of the road, hoping for a lift.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

love singes

“Break forth together into singing,

   you ruins of Jerusalem;” Isaiah 52:9a

handed the sheet music

for love songs we

could sing to others,

we cut them up,

rearranging the words

into poison pen notes

we send to those around us,

ruining their hopes and hearts.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

observatory

“You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years.”  Galatians 4:10

perhaps

it is on those days

which are not super,

the months

which are shorter,

the seasons

which are bleaker,

the years

which seem emptier,

that allow others

to observe the grace,

the hope, the kindness

you have placed within us,

O God.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

love

we give thanks, O God,
for love that is patient with our foolishness,
and impatient for justice;
for love that does not brag about itself,
but lifts up those whose lives are forgotten;
for love that is not a pebble in our shoe,
but a caress that wipes our tears;
for love that does not mock those who have messed up,
but speaks words of truth when truth is in short supply;
love carries the most vulnerable;
love trusts the littlest kid;
love refuses to hoard hope;
love meets disappointment face to face.

love persists in, and through, every moment,
especially when we can't.

(c) 2019 Thom M. Shuman

picky

“Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed.”  Galatians 3:23

taking those picks

marked grace and hope,

faith fiddles with the lock

until the pins set

into place, and as

the door swings open, we

clasp hands and skip into

life.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman

teachers

“The Lord GOD has given me

   the tongue of a teacher,

that I may know how to sustain

   the weary with a word.”  Isaiah 50:4a

sometimes,

all it takes is

a ‘hello’

   to make an

   outsider welcome;

a ‘here, let me help’

   to lift a neighbor

   to their feet;

an ‘i like you’

   to affirm a

   lonely child;

a ‘why don’t you join us?’

   to feed the hungry

   with more than a meal.

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman