Christmas Eve

"And he will come to Zion as
   Redeemer," Isaiah 59:20a

when the grumblers

try to sneak in and grab

all the wonder and joy

of the season, while humming

mournful dirges,
Hope comes out of the kitchen

with hot chocolate and cookies

to warm them before going out

to sing carols in the parks.

when the purveyors of panic
never close their doors, but

offer sale after sale on all

the fear imaginable and not,

providing discounts on 

weapons of mass polarization,

Peace still wanders the weary streets,

placing luminaria in front of every home

so folks might find their way

to one another.

when gloom knocks on the door

calling out, "package!"

trying to entice us to open 

the door so it can wrap its arms

tight around us, pulling us

into its dreary embrace,

Delight grabs us by the hand,

and we sneak out the back,

picking up our sleds so we can

go through the neighborhood,

inviting everyone to join us

racing down the steep hill,

where we will stand around

an open fire, toasting marshmallows

and singing, 

'Joy to the World . . .'

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-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

overnight,
heavy and wet,
covering the walks and streets,
temptations fall quietly
drifting up to our doors
and window sashes,
yet very early, you are
up
shoveling and clearing
the road for us;
the indifference
of our hearts
seeps out,
glazing our relationships
even with (no, especially)
those we don't know
with that permanentfrost
that causes us to slip
and slide through life,
until your tears' saltiness
melts the thickest layer
of ice imaginable;

as you prepare that
pathway
for us
to your kingdom,
illuminate it with your
grace,
so we will have no trouble
finding it.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 23rd

"'See, I am coming soon!'"  Revelation 22:7a

while we are waiting,

may we be the outsiders

who lift up the broken

as we tend to those wounds

ignored by the pious privileged.

while we are waiting,

may we be the wealthy

who are willing to adjust

our spending habits so the 

hungry, the homeless, the hopeless

might be given new life.

while we are waiting,

may we be in a hurry

to help all those whose 

weary patience has worn thin

because we are too thick

thinking that our primary calling 

is to simply wait.  

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman 

December 22nd

"Its gates will never be shut by day--and there will be no night there." Revelation 21:25

at the front desk,
Pete is overwhelmed
by the number of
folks
insisting they have
guaranteed reservations
for the
suites
on the top floors;
a crowd is clustered
around the concierge
desk,
trying to get Mike's
attention (with
at least $50 folded in
their palms)
to get tickets
for the streetcar which
will take us down
the see-through gold
streets;
we are double-checking
the floor plans at the
website, trying to
figure out exactly
where
we will place the
antiques stored back
home;
meanwhile,
you
and the maintenance
crew are busy removing
all
the bars and locks
from the gates, pouring
so much water
on the hinges, that
when they rust, no
human efforts will
ever swing them
shut;
then,
wiping your hands
on the bandana pulled
out of your
back pocket,
you smile to yourself,
'there. now no one can be
turned
away.'

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 21st

"But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be." Luke 1:29

really?

you didn't just sit down

suddenly in the chair,

stunned beyond words.

you didn't run down to the kitchen,

yelling, "Mom!  Mom!" 

and then in circles when

you couldn't find her.

no searching for the hidden

speaker or looking in the closet

to see if your little brother

was holding a microphone

pranking you with that voice

which no one else could hear.

"much perplexed"

is the best you could

come up with in that

gobsmacked

out-of-the-blue

life changing -

no,  that life-shattering moment?

no wonder we are left

pondering 

what sort of person you 

are

until you start singing

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @ Thom-Shuman

December 20th

 "Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:14-15

take a moment and

open a book, any book,

look at the page before

your eyes (any page, not

any special one), and what

do you see?

words 

that's it, simply words.

so maybe, just maybe,

in this book of life we

worry so much about, 

it's not our names written

on all those pages, but words.

and not just any words,

but one,

written over and over and over

so many times we lose count.

that one Word

the Word which was at the beginning,

the Word which called everything

including us into life

that Word which became flesh

that Word which told death and hell

to throw wide its doors so it could 

come out and remind us that 

the most important word 

in God's vocabulary is simply

grace

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-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

most days
we do our best
to ignore what is happening
in parts of the world which,
to be honest, mean nothing to us,
but on that day,
you will hold out your hand
to draw others into the circle
we thought was reserved
for only us.
a lot of days
we seem more concerned
about lights in the night sky
than we do about those living
in the shadows of rejection,
but on that day,
you will reach out to lead
the forgotten to the best
seats at your table of grace.
just about every day
we do a pretty good job
hiding who we truly are,
but on that day,
bring us -
the fearful,
and the faithful,
the outraged
and the hopeful,
the favorites
and the outcast -
home.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman 

December 18th

"Praise him with clanging
   cymbals;
praise him with loud
   clashing cymbals!"  Psalm 150:5

in the gentle knock
of the door or a tug
on the jingle bells
tied to the doorknob
of folks being delivered
meals they need in the
loneliness of the season.
in the quiet of the moment
where a Sensory Santa sits
on the floor with two kids
on the spectrum, playing with
toys just right for them until first
one, then the other, and finally the
white-bearded gent breaks
the silence with their smiles.
in the soft swish, swish of
the Golden’s tail against
the rocker of her forever friend
who stares into the land known
only to them, but they know they
do not journey alone
everything, everything
praises God!

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 17th

"The people who walked in darkness 

   have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness —
   on them light has shined." Isaiah 9:2

we keep hoping for

just the right recognition, 

we keep jockeying 

for the positions of power

where (because no one else 

seems up to the task) we can

finally change everything that

has been dumped into that

handbasket heading you know where,

but

all you want us to do

is to be that flashlight which

can show those huddled in fear

the way to hope, or at least

be a candle which flickers

when everyone else has snuffed

theirs out to save them for

another day.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 16th

"I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him." Isaiah 8:17

in the doctor's office,
jiggling my leg nervously,
i waited for you to show up
to calm me, but there was
only the little girl playing
peek-a-boo.

riding the bus on the way

to my fifth interview of the day,

i waited for some sort of sign

of support from you, but there

was only the old man standing

on the sidewalk smiling and 

giving the peace sign to everyone.

i waited for you at the elevator,

rushing from one meeting

to another, hoping you might

have time for a quick chat over coffee,

and never glanced over to see

the co-worker who had just

left a cupcake on my desk because

they thought i could use a kindness.

and so, i spent another seemingly

hopeless day.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 15th

"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

i waited
at the complaint window,
ready to unload on you
(if you ever decided to open)
turning to the person
standing behind me, who
kept nodding whenever
i offered my bitter whine,
gently touching my arm
in unexpected kindness.
i waited
for you at the bus stop
tapping my foot
impatiently as i glanced
down the road every few minutes
all the while trying
to ignore the (obviously weird kids)
with their hair all sorts of colors,
tattoos and piercings on full display
constantly inviting me to join
in singing carols, until
i walked away, grumbling to the air.
i waited for you
and waited in more places
than i can name, always
having to put up with
people’s unasked-for concern.
i will go back to waiting tomorrow,
but could you at least
have the courtesy
to show up?

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 14th

"For the Lord spoke thus to me while his hand was strong upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 'Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what it fears, or be in dread.'" Isaiah 8:11-12

they pull the wool of wolves
dressed in sheep's clothing
spinning it into fine threads.
they gather up the yarns of
those who tell the biggest tales,
and taking up their knitting needles
they put together garments of false
promises and wacky theories, trying
their best to sell us on this being
the latest fashion that everyone is wearing.
and you keep whispering in our ears,
'don't throw away that well-worn
coat of compassion, or those slightly
frayed gloves of grace.
keep that three piece suit of faith, hope,
and love in your closet - it will come back
into style soon.
and for goodness sake, don't ever be afraid
to live differently from others.
the world needs more marchers to
a different beat, not more lemmings.'

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 13th

"Then Isaiah said: 'Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also?'" Isaiah 7:13

we grumble how tired

we are from being able

to go from store to store

until we find just the right

gift for someone who, in turn,

will barely acknowledge it,

while a family whose beds

are the seats in a car parked

in the shadows of a store

go from agency to agency

and church to church trying

to get just a little assistance

in providing a simple holiday

for their children who stare out

the windows into the winter sky

wondering what it is like to have

the sorts of lives they see in all

who pass by them, moving as 

quickly as they can while 

avoiding any eye contact that

might force us to be just a little

human.

and you shake your head 

in that weariness which never

seems to go away because

we can't ever seem to move 

away from those seductive

privileges the world offers us.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 12th

So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present. Luke 22:6

in the sacred space,
cocooned with so many
others, it is easy
to pray without ceasing,
to whisper your name in awe,
to find just the right words,
but
at home,
when the hammer hits my thumb,
when the bills fall through
the slot in the door,
when the shadows lengthen,
ah, how i use your name in a different way!
in the small group,
with those i promise to
share my deepest, darkest,
piety comes as part of the
book study,
earnestness is the pin in
my lapel,
faithfulness is always
the course of action,
but
at work,
in the cubicle, with only
the screen to monitor me,
it is easy to wander
into those sites
which shouldn't be found.
in the choir,
harmonizing with all
the other voices
in praise, wonder, joy,
and adoration, how can
i keep from singing
praises,
but
driving home,
in the anonymity of the car,
what fun to crank up the speakers,
boost the bass,
shout the demeaning, degrading,
rapping lyrics, until
i rattle the souls
of all those around me.
with no
crowd
around, how many
opportunities
abound!

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 11th

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I, send me!" Isaiah 6:8

sure, count me in.
though i should check
my online calendar,
and i know the legal team
will want to pour over
any non-disclosure agreement.
and, of course,
we need to be clear
on the length of the contract
and what the buy-out
package might look like
should we decide
that the job is not panning out.
i assume, as well,
that i own the rights
to any original pronouncements
i make (even if i drop your name
first.
should you have any
reservations, at all,
about my terms,
I guess we are back
to the original question.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 10th

 'the LORD opens the eyes
   of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who
   are bowed down;
the LORD loves the
   righteous. Psalm 146:8

when i am tempted
to place myself
in bondage to debt
to show how much i love
others,
set me free to give them
myself instead;
when the glitter, the tinsel,
all the bright shiny
got-to-have-or-elses
cause me to
squeeze my eyes tight shut,
open them, so i can see the
snow falling gently
on a winter's night;
when i can only think that all
the names on all the lists
are the only ones that matter,
may the shepherds
stop me to tell 

(with wonder and delight)
of the hope they just met
in a bairn.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 9th

"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.” Luke 21:25

looking for signs
in the entrails
of the latest politician
to be skewered,
we may miss
the story
about
the homeless fellow
who pushed a
family's car out of
the snow
and accepted only
a 'thank you'
as his reward;
reading the handwriting
on the 'net
regarding the cliff
we lemmings
seem to be running
toward,
we overlook
the kids lined up
at the tellers'
windows, emptying
their piggy banks
for their teacher
battling cancer;
convinced that the warnings
of that disembodied
radio voice
portend the end
of our sacred cows,
we ignore the songs
composed in
the bathtub
by our grandchildren
as they celebrate
all the wonder of
the life they have.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman 

December 8th

"Let me sing for my beloved
my love-song concerning
his vineyard:"  Isaiah 5:1a

carols cascade
from the lips
of third-graders
packing shoeboxes
for children in
parts of the
world they
only know from
web searches;
hymns are hummed
by neighbors
who rise before
the sun rubs
sleep from its
eyes,
to shovel the walks
of the family who
just brought home
their new baby;
piano keys are tickled
by the arthritic fingers
of the white-haired
janitor who
has just finished
polishing the
gym floor
for tonight's
dance.
our Beloved's
love-songs
are all around us
if
we but take
the time to
listen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 7th

"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope." 1 Thessalonians 4:13

it is so easy to forget
as we stand by the bed

that the last breath 

of our loved ones 

on this side of grace

is the Spirit carrying them

into your arms of love.

we may not realize it

but as we walk away 

from the graveside, we

have not placed someone

in the cold embrace of earth

but into your arms 

of wonder and peace.

so, remind us of that

hope

which is indeed the 

dust of the stars seeded

deep within all creation,

especially us.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 6th

"Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.

    Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
   to the voice of my supplications!" Psalm 130:1-2

we know the quiet of mornings

as the world bustles awake and

the grieving lie in beds made

so much bigger by the absence

of loved ones.

we know the reticence of midday

eating our stale sandwiches 

sipping on the cup of bitter tears

at the table where the forgotten

always find a 'reserved' sign.

we know the silence 

of nights when the voices

of the mockers drown out

the whispers of children offering

prayers crafted from their 

loneliness.

and because you listen to

the cracking of those hearts

which everyone refuses to hear,

we know we are never

alone.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

December 5th

"O house of Jacob, 

    come, let us walk
in the light of the LORD!" Isaiah 2:5

we tiptoe through 

the shadows of our fears,

our fingertips brushing along

the walls bricked by loneliness

desperately trying not

trip over anyone who might

have already given up finding home,

and then,

there

in the far distance

we see a small flame flickering,

slowly drawing closer to us

until we see it held in your hand,

your other reaching out to grasp us

and walk with us so, together,

we can turn the corner and see

the bright light of Advent hope

welcoming us.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 25th

"When Jesus heard this, he said to him, 'There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.' But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich." Luke 18:22-23

when you stick it to the rich,
Jesus, we are like Vernon Dursley

whispering out loud, 'justice!'

but remember,

if you dare tell us that those

about-to-topple over bookcases

or our second walk-in closets

filled with things we don't wear

or that daily fifth cup of red hat

mocha grande with almond milk

or whatever thing we hold

more dear than our dearest ones

are what we have to give up

because of what you see

lacking in us, well then,

we will turn away, far sadder

than anyone on Forbes' list.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 24th

"'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?'" Matthew 6:25-26

may we not get
our knickers in a twist

about there being enough

marshmallows on the sweet potatoes

or did the cook follow Nana's recipe

for the green bean casserole

or if there will be desserts for us

non-pumpkin pie folks, 

or if the teenager's date 

will show up with a clean shirt,

but

let us notice the kitten 

tiptoeing in the sunshine,

the dog whimpering as it

chases a squirrel in its sleep,

the last leaf clinging for its life

on the topmost branch of the oak

and remember, that the One

who called all of them good

is the Heart which calls us

Beloved.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 23rd

"The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective." James 5:16b

yet,
however powerful, poetic,

evocative our words might be

and however they move 

our hearts and souls as well

as those who might hear them,

they are like leaves blown around

in the gusty winds of November

unless we turn those letters,

those syllables, those sentences

into compassion which cradles

the broken hearts of the lonely,

into courage which refuses to bend

in loyalty to the cruel,

into hope which plants its feet

in the path of the despisers,

into love which proves more tenacious

than all the forces hate tries to muster.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 22nd

"Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord." James 5:7a

or, we could choose the option

of being impatiently patient.

to be so annoyed at hate

that we will not let it 

bully its way into our communities.

to become so ill at ease

with the notion that the wealthy

should continue to get all the breaks

while the poor are told 

"get your act together."

to stop sitting on our hands

but be raring to go to challenge

those injustices that folks

believe should be ignored.

to be piqued beyond peevishness

towards all who preach a Jesus

who no longer cares for the forgotten,

the hungry, the lonely, the scared.

and maybe, just maybe, if we do,

we will realize that being 

impatiently patient is right up 

your alley.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

 

November 21st

"Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.'" James 4:15

when we think that grace
is like the wishbone of a turkey

which the person who gets

the bigger piece is more blessed,

when we are convinced 

we can tell who deserves justice

based on how hard they work

at three menial jobs,

when we come to believe 

that generosity is simply tossing

coins in a jar on a table and

then giving the change to a food bank,

when we cling to the outdated

notion that we can tell your favorites

based on the cars they drive or

the neighborhood in which they live,

we clearly are not paying attention.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 20th

"So who, then, are you to judge your neighbor?" James 4:12b

who indeed, God?

it is so much easier 

for us to assume that

because someone does not

believe the same way we do,

or hold the same political view,

or support the same issues that

they are wrong, or intolerant,

or filled with hate, or even evil.

and yes, maybe they are.

but if we pause, looking in the mirror,

realizing that folks may look at us,

making the same sort of 

quick assumptions about us,

i'm guessing (and it is only me)

that i would be pretty steamed

they are judging me without really

taking the time to know me.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 19th

“yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
   I will exult in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:18

even though it seems
as if compassion has gone
into winter’s hibernation,
and the fruits of the Spirit
have shriveled or rotted.
even though it appears
love can no longer seem
to elicit any sort of response
from people of privilege,
and community gardens which once produced
bumper crops of grace now lie fallow.
even if young people seeking acceptance
for the neurodivergent and genderfluid
are dismissed by uncaring politicians
and so many people want to become
ostriches when looking at climate change,
yet, i will continue to join God
in singing songs of hope,
and i will not stop believing
that God is with us in our times.

© 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 18th

"For there is still a vision for the appointed time;

   it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
   it will surely come, it will not delay." Habakkuk 2:3-4

in these times

it seems we are taught

that what connects is division,

that the scarlet threads woven

through our common humanity

are anger and fear, and that

hate has finally become our god.

so we pray, that despite

all the seeming odds against,

we will let hope and grace

be the sinews in our relationships,

that love and kindness will be

the muscles which allow us

to work and share together,

and that justice and peace

are the nerves pulsing through

this Beloved Community you

are shaping in our midst.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 16th

"O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

   his steadfast love endures forever!" Psalm 118:1

with all that goes on

in the world these days,

i could care less about

an aging boxer slash bully

slash narcissist match,

but i hope i am passionate

about those fighting hate.

i have no real feelings 

one way or another about

some superstar celebrity 

who has thousands of dollars

stolen while earning so much 

more playing a brutal game, 

but i am ashamed of a political

culture which seeks to rob 

people of their self-worth.

i hope i will never trust more

in the false promises and 

hollow lies offered every day

than i do in your love which,

however battered and windswept,

weary and frayed at the edges,

refuses to let go of me.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 15th

"Then afterward
    I will pour out my spirit on 

         all flesh; 

your sons and your 

         daughters shall 

         prophesy, 

   your old men shall dream 

         dreams, 

   and your young men shall 

         see visions." Joel 2:28

in these afterward days,

may our dreams of justice

not turn into nightmares

for the most vulnerable.

may our children continue

to call us to mend creation,

to speak the names of the cruel,

to challenge the privileged 

to open their eyes and hearts.

and may their children look back,

giving thanks that when you

kept nudging us, pushing us,

breaking through our shuttered fears,

we did not turn away or run away,

but opened our souls to the Spirit,

holding tight to one another and

becoming whirlwinds of grace,

of hope, of kindness, of love.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 14th

"Why do the wicked renounce God, 

and say in their hearts,
   'You will not call us to account'?
But you do see!
   Indeed you note trouble and grief,
that you may take it into your hands;
   the helpless commit themselves to you;
you have been the helper of the orphan." Psalm 10:13-14

they send cruel texts

to people of color, about

buses coming to take them

to plantations for work.

they rub their hands in glee

that they are not just going

to fall back for daylight savings

but hopefully all the way back

to those causes they think

have been lost along the way.

they believe that anger has finally won,

that hate has conquered love,

that bullies are your best friends,

that you have anointed them 

to share a fake gospel of hate.

but you are keeping an eye out,

continuing to give strength

to those who will not let 

grace disappear,

hope be consigned to landfills,

justice to be ignored,

kindness to be swept away,

love become dusty history.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman 

November 13th

“So he told them this parable: ‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?’” Luke 15:3-4

grace is running ahead of us
to show us the way to serve
the forgotten of our times.
joy is limbering up, ready
to turn cartwheels as we discover
the mercy to share with the broken.
love has cleaned away breakfast
and has a map so we can go
and search for those who have
been relegated to the ‘not worth it’ status.
hope has gathered up all the tools
we need to build housing for all
who have slipped away from life
without anyone noticing.
justice is ready, as always, to offer us
a refresher course in caring more
for the vulnerable than the privileged.
compassion? well, compassion will continue
to look after the folks who don’t really
require that much, while we are out
with you, searching, searching, searching
until all the others are found.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 12th

"Have mercy upon us, O Lord,
   have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough
   of contempt.
Our soul has had more than its fill
   of the scorn of those who are at ease,
   of the contempt of the proud." Psalm 123:3-4

Holy One:

they think they will be able

to get us to eat only at the place

where one can gorge on all

the contempt you can eat for one price,

and the desserts are slathered 

with rich bittercream icing, but

we will continue to show up at your diner

where the formica top is probably

as old as you are, the cracked leather

seats are patched with duct tape

and the weary waitress, Holly Spirit,

knows us all so well, bringing us

our usual orders of hope and grace,

slices of justice with mercy's marmalade,

and free refills on cups of compassion

so we can go out into each day

doing all we can to put the Bitter Buffet

out of business as quickly as possible.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 11th

"Give ear to my words, O Lord; 

   give heed to my sighing." Psalm 5:1

for those who are not ready

to leave their cave's comfort,

you are not alone, even if

you can't see others in the shadows.

for all whose tears just won't stop,

we will offer as many shoulders

as you need to cry on.

for anyone who can't turn on the news,

we have tons of playlists, pet videos,

and streaming programs to share.

for everyone who fears the future,

we are by your side

we have your back

we cradle your heart.

for folks who are ready to move on,

walk a little slower,

talk a little less,

care a lot more.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 5th

"These things I remember, 

     as I pour out my soul:" Psalm 42:4a

here is what i will cling to

this day, and i pray, in all

those days to come,

that

when the hurlers of hate

are the loudest, love's whispers

will be heard in our hearts.

that

when the demagogues of despair

think they have convinced the crowds,

hope will be marked on more ballots.

that when cruelty targets outsiders,

trying to sell us locks for our doors,

more folk will put out welcome mats.

that when gangs of grudges lurk

like frighteners in the shadows,

we will hold tight to one another

as grace walks us home.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 4th

"On that day, says the Lord, 

    a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,
a wail from the Second Quarter,
   a loud crash from the hills." Zephaniah 1:10

on this day, 

may we turn off the ads

we have heard so many times

we could make the pitch,

so we can hear the cries

of those who have no one

approving their message of

longing for compassion and hope,

so we hear the weeping from

all the parents in rubble strewn

communities aka battlefields,

so we might listen to those

whose dreams for justice

have collided with the ever

increasing desires of the privileged

who, miraculously, always seem

not to be at fault and can walk away

with no responsibility at all, and then

tomorrow, when we can make a difference

we might hear those echoes 

deep in our hearts.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 3rd

"If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." I Corinthians 13:1-3

if i join the angry crowds
echoing the bile of speakers

or make t-shirts which quote

the mocking words of another side,

my love is slipping away from my life.

if i speak as if i know exactly

how others should vote or respond

to my candidate or react to any, if

not every, issue which i support,

my love is drying up in my heart.

if i am willing to go into debt 

to support my vision of how things

should be or i refuse to have anything

whatsoever to do with those 

with whom i disagree,

my love is seeping out of my soul.

and if i lose all my love,

whatever will happen to me or,

indeed, the world who needs

every bit of love it can find.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 2nd

"'Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit;'" Luke 12:35

we look toward the horizon
and for many of us, there is
a looming shadow of fear and worry

which seems to be blocking 

all kindness, all grace, all love.

so, rather than turn and walk,

if not run in the other direction,

may we put on our jeans

stained with the paint from

fixing houses for rough sleepers,

our flannel shirts covered in buttons

which welcome the alien in our midst,

our work boots handcrafted by justice

and resoled many times with peace,

so we may continue to be beacons

of hope whatever may happen

in the coming days.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

November 1st

"As they go through the
         valley of Baca
    they make a place of
         springs;
    the early rain also covers it
         with pools." Psalm 84:6

those faithful folks still caring

for the ones struggling to rebuild

after all the camera crews 

(and the world) has moved on.

the children who, rather than

filling buckets with candy, asked

their neighbors for spare change

to help their homeless classmate.

the clean-up crews who worked

long, hard, extra hours to sweep

up the litter of jubilant celebrations

after the superstars absorbed all the cheers.

there are still saints in our midst,

walking through our neighborhoods

as unnoticed, as ridiculed, as forgotten

as all the others throughout the ages. 

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

October 31st

"I walk before the LORD

   in the land of the living.
I kept my faith, even when I said,
   'I am greatly afflicted';" Psalm 116:9-10

as the Day of the Dread approaches

and we want to crawl as deep

into the pit of forgetfulness as we can,

may we take a moment to watch

all those little witches and wizards,

those hobgoblins and sports stars,

those ballerinas and ninja turtles,

those Barbies in pink and little men in black

wander from house to house

giggling and whispering

among themselves, just waiting 

to get back home where they will

remove all the masks which cover

their wonder, joy, and hope, for

they are the ones who know 

with the faith of the foolish that

there are no monsters under the bed

or walking dead hiding in the corners

except those we shape from the dust

of our fragmented fears.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

October 30th

"And I say, 'O that I had wings like a dove!
   I would fly away and be at rest;
truly, I would flee far away;
   I would lodge in the wilderness;'" Psalm 55:6-7

like Frodo, we wish that

we did not have to live

in these perilous times,

yet here we are, by your grace.

so, may we seek to find

that piece of you in every person,

even those we are convinced

are empty of compassion.

may we never abandon our call

to be people of grace, of justice,

of peace, of including everyone.

may we try, as hard as it may be,

to never let the word hopeless

become a part of our vocabulary,

just as it has never been

a part of yours.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

October 18th

"O Lord, you have searched me and known me." Psalm 139:1

you know the ghosts that
inhabit the attics of my memories

and those monsters of my id

hiding in the closets and under

the bed on which i lay my weariness.

you know those words of shame,

of criticism, of unkindness written

in the dictionary of my mind

and you have heard those love

songs, those lullabies i composed

for myself in the silence of life.

you know those sirens who sit

on the rocks singing their seduction

and you know those paths i am still

searching for in my heart.

you know,

because you love me enough

to want to know me even more.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

October 17th

"It was I who fed you in the wilderness, in the land of drought." Hosea 13:5

because you know us so well,
your food truck is stocked

with grace for those who

have been rejected by family,

with hope for all who drag

their weary souls behind them,

with justice for the ones

dumped by the side of the road

by all the platitude mouthing privileged,

with love which can ease the acid

taste of hate sitting in the pit

of everyone's stomach,

to those who walk the valleys of death,

you hand cups of life with a guarantee

of free refills through all time,

and somehow, for every single 

one of us, the bill seems 

to have mysteriously disappeared.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

October 16th

"He said to them, 'Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money - not even an extra tunic.'" Luke 9:3

you pretty much traveled
lighter than light on your journey

but when we set out

to share the simple message

of God's love for everyone,

well,

we need one of those 

hotel luggage carts to hold

our books of polity,

all of our tomes of theology,

the files holding old sermons

as well as outdated ideas,

our notes from all those seminars

on church growth and how 

to create a magnetic church,

and you just shake your head

in amazement, walking on

with nothing but 

pockets full of grace.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

October 7th

"The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl,

    and strips the forest bare;
and in his temple all say, 'Glory!'”  Psalm 29:9

i have rested in old chairs

worn smooth by so many generations

and listened to their silent

prayers lodged in the memories

of the river stones in the walls,

and whispered, 'glory!'

i have taken my place in

decision-making church bodies

where the same discussion

keeps being tabled until

the very next meeting, and

muttered under my breath,

'good grief.'

i have sat on carpet squares

as little kids gathered around

to listen to a book being read

while their attention and hands

were distracted by the golden

retriever curled up on the floor

and sang to myself, 'thank you!'

  

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman 

October 6th

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
   How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul,
   and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?” Psalm 13:1-2

the people with the microphones
in their hands and cameras over
their shoulders want stories of resilience
while all many are trying to do
is find makeshift bandages for
their broken spirits.
Appalachia Strong, Boston Strong,
Manchester Strong all sound wonderful
in memes, on media, in songs, but
where is the sign which says,
‘shattered into tiny pieces and we
can’t even make a mosaic of hope.’
the pushers of platitudes talk about
‘we are at our best when the worst happens’
or
‘folks will rise like phoenixes from
this terrible moment,’
but they are not the ones
standing in ashes up to their hearts.
why is it, that in the most
excruciating grief for so many
the world (even those of faith)
seems to send the message
‘no laments allowed.'

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

October 5th

 "O God, you are my God, I seek you,

          my soul thirsts for you;
     my flesh faints for you,
          as in a dry and weary land 

    where there is no water." Psalm 63:1

the loneliness which seeps

into us even in the most 

crowded of places seems

like our most faithful friend.

the barrenness of humanity

seems to make our world unable 

to produce any sort of crops

of goodness or of peace, 

of generosity or even simple grace.

the springs of hope which once

quenched our parched souls 

now seem to be only a trickle 

as if the pipes have been 

clogged by fear.

yet, 

and yet,

we will not give up, trusting

that as always, we will find you

in the most unexpected places

and the least likely people.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman 

October 4th

"Then he looked up at his disciples and said: 'Blessed are you '" Luke 6:20a

blessed are those who climb power poles
to run new lines to valleys and up hillsides

and those who haul generators on pack

mules up the water cratered mountains.

blessed are the ones who resist the urge

to ship boxes of things no one really needs

as well as those who make as many donations

as possible to those with boots on the ground.

blessed are stores which put out furniture

for the asking to those who have lost everything

and strangers who pile up the debris and haul

it away before anyone can catch their names.

blessed are . . . 

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman