the loneliest number

"'What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?'" Matthew 18:12 

to be honest, we think

you are not a very good

manager of your time

as well as your resources,

that you probably did not

do well on the exam asking

to define utilitarianism, and

that you are clearly too much

of a liberal, bleeding heart . . .

except

when we are the 

one

who has lost their

way.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

no more

"And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever." Revelation 22:5

the day will come

when

the monsters under

our bed turn out to be

the dust bunnies of our fears,

the terrors in the closet

are the clothes we forgot

to hang up before bed,

the tapping on the window

in the middle of the night

is simply your grace falling

like gentle rain.

but until that day, we

will simply crawl under

the covers, with our 

flashlights in hand,

reading of your love.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

at a distance?

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 

'“See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;'" Revelation 21:3

you are the neighbor

who welcomes us 

when we move into

our very first home,

the maintenance person

who always responds

to a problem in our flats,

the hair stylist who listens

to all our disappointments

while making us look good,

the server at the ice cream

place who has a special cone

for our dog as we walk by,

the doctor who sits down

as soon as they come 

into the room letting us know

they are there for as long

as we might need.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

subfusc

"When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, and said, 'Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.' Jesus answered, 'You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.'”  Matthew 17:14-17

we waste so much

time in committees and

developing action plans,

while you stare at your watch

wondering when we will 

get off our keesters and simply

go out and get our hands dirty.

we are so busy coming up

with all sorts of complicated ways

in which to try to solve the (actually

simple) ways to feed the hungry

that you just shake your head

in bewilderment at our subfusc choices.

we spend all our energy 

wringing our hands and shaking

our heads 'no' whenever someone

asks us for help in troubled times

that you feel another headache

coming on and just want 

to lie down and take a nap.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

DIY

"Restore us again, O God of our salvation, 

    and put away your indignation toward us."  Psalm 85:4

it's a never ending struggle

for you, isn't it, our Parent?

you just seal up the basement

so the waters of temptation

cannot keep seeping in,

then have to rush up

to the attic of our minds

to repair the windows of our souls

broken by our foolish thoughts.

you landscape our souls

with all the rich varieties

of grace stored in your shed

and you have to fix the holes

in the walls we have made

when we lash out in frustration.

yet,

rather than throwing up

your hands and walking

away in disgust, you mop

your brow, grab your tools,

and get back to work on

flipping our lives so we can

look as new as the first day

you created us.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

it's only money!

"'No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.'” Luke 16:13

don't get your knickers

in a twist, God.

those plastic cards don't

really matter to me,

any more than those 

apps that make it so

easy to pay for all 

that stuff i don't really 

need (but the great god

Bezos tells me i do),

and besides, if i really

do get into a bit of

a bind, i am sure you

will bail me out with

the winning numbers,

the jackpot in the machine,

or finally putting that prosperity

gospel i have heard so much about

into practice.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

students

"Great are the works of the LORD,
   studied by all who delight in them." Psalm 111:2

may the archaeologists

find as much wonder in 

the stuff they find in the dirt,

as a dog does when digging

up the bone it had forgotten.

may the meteorologists

discover the laughter in clouds

that little kids lying on their

backs and staring at the sky do.

may the theologians realize 

hope is as near as the sunbeam

creeping across their paper strewn

desk as the kitten does trying

to catch it on the kitchen floor.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

invisible fence

"Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
    whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
    else it will not stay near you."  Psalm 32:9

may your grace

be a toddler gate

which keeps us from

wandering too far from you.

may your hope

be the childproof lock

on the drawers and cabinets

holding all the disappointments,

temptations, and worries

the Evil One intends

for our souls.

may your love

be that alert button

we can press as many times

as we need, knowing

the battery will never 

need replacing.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

even if

"'Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory,
     for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready;'"  Revelation 19:7

even if we never

opened the invitation,

even if the RSVP

gets lost in the mail,

even if our gift

is insignificant compared

to those brought by

the rich and powerful,

even if all we have to wear

are the clothes we had on

when we got off work,

yet

you will run to throw

your arms around us,

handing us a glass of wine,

flagging down a server 

carrying the tray of bruschetta

and showing us our place card

at the table close to the

chocolate fountain.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

homeward bound

"O LORD, who may abide in your tent? 

    Who may dwell on your holy hill?"  Psalm 15:1

the ones whose shoes

are scuffed, muddied, and hole-y

from walking the streets with

the lonely and the broken,

the caring whose arms ache

and are sunburnt from carrying

water, medical supplies, hope

to those climbing out of rubble,

the folks who spend their 

weekends mowing the lawns

and repairing the homes 

of elderly neighbors,

they

are the people you 

put out the welcome mat

for and prepare a place

at your table.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

for crying out loud

"O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, 

    and you have healed me." Psalm 30:2

i cried to you 

in my loneliness

and you sent me

to help a refugee

who became my best friend.

i moaned about

my fears of dying

and you asked me 

to volunteer in a hospice

so i could witness grace.

i complained that

no one listened to me

and you had me take

a class in sign language

so a little child could 

tell me the stories trapped

in her imagination.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

unafraid

"They are not afraid of evil tidings; 

   their hearts are firm, secure in the LORD." Psalm 112:7

when the narcissists

expect undying fealty,

may we keep our bond

with you in those moments.

when the purveyors of snark

offer us special deals on

the cruelty we could inflict

on the most vulnerable,

may we continue to rummage

through the bargain bin filled

with your grace and hope.

when evil wraps its arm

around our shoulders and

begins to whisper sweet

nothingness into our ears,

may we turn and say, 'sorry,

we are already spoken for.'

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

unrecognizable

 "Very early in the morning he came to his disciples, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified and said, 'It's a ghost!" Matthew 14:25-26a

very early in the morning,

you come down the sidewalk

with your dog who looks younger

and sprightlier than you do, 

and as we love all over the mutt

you wonder why we think

you are invisible.

around noontime,

you sit on the corner

where the roads cross one another,

a cardboard sign in your hand,

a tattered, stained jacket 

struggling to keep you warm,

and as we glance up from

our devices to check the lights,

you wonder why we look

right through you.

in the evening, we sit

in the same room with our love,

one glued to sports while

the other is reading a book,

while you wonder why

we never notice you in

them.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

for my sins

"For I know my transgressions,

    and my sin is ever before me."  Psalm 51:3

for my sins,

may i learn to be 

as merciful as you are,

may i discover new relationships

which can be built from the ashes

of broken promises and failed deeds,

may i help to craft stained glass

windows in the heart which 

i have shattered by my foolishness,

may i reach out a hand

to help another across the abyss

of loneliness and fear, even

as you continue to hold on to mine,

and may i reach that point

in my journey with, and to, you

that i can look back and see

the litter of my faltering life

and my fallible faith left behind

by the side of the road in those

recycling bins marked GRACE.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

pure, sweet love

"Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this:
   that power belongs to God,
and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord."  Psalm 62:11-12a

once, so long ago

i wonder if i remember correctly,

a voice told me you were

nothing

but pure, sweet love.

then,

other voices surrounded me

strident, overbearing, overwhelming

with accusations of your anger,

of how you couldn't wait

to punish me simply for my thoughts,

how you would dangle me

like a fish on a hook and line

over hellfire, all the while smiling,

so,

whisper once again 

reminding me (and all of us)

of that pure, sweet love

which belongs to you, yet

you willingly give to us.

that pure, sweet love

strong enough to become weak,

wise enough to relinquish grudges,

compassionate enough to forgive.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman 

sing! sing! sing!

"I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; 

    with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness 

     to all generations." Psalm 89:1

we sing your steadfast love

when we make sure hungry kids

are fed before the powerbrokers.

we sing your constant love

as we come together to build

affordable housing for the vulnerable.

we sing your never-ending love

when we refuse to take 'no'

for the answer when seeking

justice for all the forgotten.

we sing your abiding love

when we open the eyes of the world

to see the innocents on all sides

of broken promises and angry responses.

we sing your relentless love

when we stop trying to rewrite 

the lyrics so the song is all about us.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmon: @Thom-Shuman

Beloved Community

“'The kingdom of heaven is like . . . 'Have you understood all this?'” They answered, “'Yes.'" Matthew 13:44a, 52

you make it 

as simple as 

one of these 6-piece

puzzles for little kids,

but

even that seems

too complicated

as we insist on analyzing,

overcomplicating, theologizing,

turning it upside down 

to see what might be missing,

never noticing you 

rolling your eyes and 

throwing up your hands in

despair.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

who?

"Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me." Psalm 5:8

who will walk with us

as we begin this day,

seeking to be faithful?

the God who takes us 

by the hand, never letting go.

who will be our guide,

our guard, our boon companion

as we try to keep from slipping

on the paths the knuckleheads

of soaked with water?

Jesus, who has walked the path

many times before and 

will keep us from getting lost.

who will illumine the way

as the shadows of fear and worry

block the light of grace,

of hope, and wonder?

the Spirit who, even if blindfolded

by our foolish faithlessness,

can show us how to reach

the doorsteps of God's house.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman 

about those thoughts and prayers

"The LORD works vindication and justice
     for all who are oppressed." Psalm 103:6

yes, 

prayers are important

but what may really be needed

is for the privileged to admit

that the folks who sleep

in parks, cars, and under bridges

each night are not worthless

but their most valued, their

most forgotten, siblings.

yes,

thoughts may help us

feel better (or at least safer),

but it is thinking outside

that space that is wrapped

around the metaphorical box

so we can come up with

new ideas, fresh approaches

innovative ways to solve

the problems which surround us.

yes,

we are tempted to leave

everything up to God, who

has already been hard at work,

pausing every once in a while

to mop their brow and ease

the pain in their back, while

we are on our second cup 

and scrolling through mindless

foolishness on our devices.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

these are us

"Then he said to me, 'These are they who have come out of the great ordeal;'" Revelation 7:14b

it might be

that first time love

breaks our hearts, or

the last breath our lover

takes while we sit 

holding their hand.

it could be 

the boss ridiculing us

at our first presentation, or

having to tell staff

there is no longer money

in the budget to keep them on.

it may be

as overwhelming as waking

to find ourselves on life-support

or the first time a child

wakes up sick in the night,

but every ordeal, every 

struggle, every heartbreak

is held in God's comfort,

hope, and grace.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

courtside

"My soul longs, indeed it faints 

    for the courts of the LORD;" Psalm 84:2a

not in the marble

corridors of power and wealth,

but in the hallways

of the hospice center.

not in the vast homes

and gardens of movie stars,

but in the rundown, weather-beaten

homes in every wrong part

of every community.

not in the arenas filled

with the privileged paying

outrageous prices for entertainers,

but in the quiet songs 

by little kids in cooling bathwater.

it is there

in those least

likely 'courts' that

our souls will find you,

o God.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

all souls day

"Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, 

   'To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb 

    be blessing and honor and glory and might
   forever and ever!'" Revelation 5:13

the young people whose

music was shattered by gunfire

and the little children under

the rubble whose mothers

whispered, 'you are not alone.'

the rough sleepers who

never found the warmth

to keep them alive in bitter winter

and the privileged who took

their last breath in their old beds.

the altar boy left to die

on a split rail fence

and those who have 

never let us forget.

the freedom riders who

endured split heads,

the haters who were

transformed into lovers

by such a powerful witness.

the broken and the bitter

the hopeless and the heartened

those who always expected to be

a part of this chorus 

and those who are shocked

because they never auditioned

all sing with wonder, joy, 

laughter, and love playing

the melody for them.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

the unexpected

"Then one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.' Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth." Revelation 5:5-6

we want a lion

who will rip out

the evil from all those

who taunt us and 

would harm us, and

you send that Lamb

which is scarred and shattered.

we adopt a worldview

which demeans those we

cannot understand, but know

we must condemn with every breath,

and you send a Listener

who sits by wells chatting

with the forgotten and who 

dares to learn from those

the world views as unworthy.

we secretly (and openly) long

for that bully who will crush

those we know you hate simply

because we dare not love them,

and you send a Heart which

gathers every little child on its lap

and which writes 'you are Beloved'

in the sand at the feet of everyone

we would banish to the outer darkness.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

i wonder

"That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake." Matthew 13:1

what would have happened

if you could have just

sat there watching the waves

and slowly recharging your batteries?

would you have changed any

thing or said something different

if you had been left alone 

to just skip stones 

across the water with only

your thoughts on your mind?

might your friends have understood

the Beloved Community you offered

if they had seen it built 

like sand castles on the shore,

rather hear a parable which

seemed out of place next 

to a lake teeming with fish?

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

family

"But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, 'Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?'” Matthew 12:48

my mother?

the single woman

juggling school, 2 jobs,

kids (one with disabilities),

the ridicule of neighbors.

my sibling?

the older citizen 

having to go back

to work in their 70's

because the investment firm

misspent their pension.

my grandchildren?

all those young people

demanding, with ever

increasing concern and fear,

a change in how creation is treated.

my family?

every one, any one,

with dreams turned to ashes,

with losses too overwhelming,

with loneliness so unbearable.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo:  @Thom-Shuman

just stop with all the questions

"Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. 'Teacher,' he said, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?'” Luke 10:25

well,

for starters, we 

might stop obsessing

about the other side

of grace, and share 

justice with others.

we could end all speculating

and notice the folks sitting

on street corners and 

in building doorways, who

are longing for another life.

we can quit thinking

it is all about us and 

our end game and 

come off the bench 

to relieve those who 

are working three jobs.

finally, we could simply

put away all our silly

questions, and get on

with the task of being 

part of the Beloved Community

rather than waiting for it

to fall into our laps.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

wordie

"'I tell you, on the day of judgement you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter;'" Matthew 12:36

may my words

never be sticks

which leave welts

on the souls of another

but be used to build

fires where we can sit

and tell stories of hope

as we gorge ourselves

on s'mores and hot chocolate.

may my words

not ever become stones

which build walls between

those i am called to love

but become paving blocks

for us to walk

the paths of peace.

may my words 

always strengthen 

the spirits of others

and

may they not become

the means by which

i tear down myself.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

pitted

"I am counted among those who go down to the Pit; 

    I am like those who have no help,
like those forsaken among the dead,
   like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom you remember no more,
   for they are cut off from your hand."  Psalm 88:4-5

for all i have tossed aside

as easily as a discarded apple core.

for all whom i slammed a door

(real or imagined) in their face.

for all i have wished 

a life worse than death and

those for whom i would not

offer a shoulder to roll away the stone.

for all whose name i have forgotten

and would not take any medicine

or courses to improve my memory.

and for those i would not

offer a hand to pull to safety,

Lord, 

have mercy on me.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

until we are full

"I am the LORD your God, 

   who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it." Psalm 81:10

fill our bitter souls

with words of peace

so we may speak 

healing to those around us.

fill our empty hearts

with endless compassion

so we may whisper kindness

in the ears of the vulnerable.

fill our hollow lives

with grace which has no end

so we may become the friends

the forgotten and lonely need.

fill us . . . 

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

the butler???

"Listen, I will tell you a mystery!" 1 Corinthians 15:51a

like Sherlock Holmes,

you walk the foggy streets

of our fearful hearts,

identifying our brokenness

by the ashes of our tears

and knowing who we are

simply by examining

the calluses on our souls

and the stubs of the tickets

to Tarshish in our pockets.

yet while all we understand

about the ultimate Mystery

is that our last breath 

will come when we least expect,

you know 

that death met its end

by your abundant grace

in the tomb 

with resurrection love.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

now if

"Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?" 1 Corinthians 15:12

now if

we spend so much

time, energy, words,

and ink on paper debating

various theories of THE

death.

now if

we try to figure 

this enigmatic mystery

with biology, logic, 

chemistry or even 

common sense.

now if

we go to the very

edge of faith, and

yet are hesitant 

to take that great leap

(which is really 

a simple step across

a very thin place),

well,

what are we trying to

say?

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

but since

"When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, 'Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?'” Matthew 11:2-3

but

since you seem 

to expect us to truly

care for the most vulnerable

rather than the most powerful,

since you keep 

pushing us to forgive

more times than there

are fingers on our hands,

since you are so concerned

that we be willing to set aside

our privilege so the poor 

might become haves just like us,

you might not understand

why we often wait for God

to become incarnated in

someone more like us,

someone more to our liking.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

rewarded?

"'and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple — truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.'" Matthew 10:42

what reward

might we expect

when we use up 

so much water for lawns,

pools, 8-headed showers,

while little kids still

must drink from faucets

polluted with all sorts 

of chemicals we can't

even pronounce?

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

fearless

"'So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.'" Matthew 10:31

though the media and public

are Swift to melt down

all the sales and adulation

to turn singers into golden

calves we can worship,

though the knuckleheads

in power cannot seem to govern

themselves much less figure out

how to bring about peace

and justice throughout the world,

though the ranters and mockers

always seem to get the air time

and sound bites denied 

to the angels of compassion,

yet we will not fear

for you value us above

all the knuckleheads,

the ranters and mockers,

the golden calf enablers.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

enough!

"Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, 

    for we have had more than enough of contempt." Psalm 123:3

when we have all

the grudges our souls

can ever hold, show us

how to compost them 

into gardens of grace.

when we have had 

our fill of hate towards other,

plant seeds of love 

deep within us, so they

might become bouquets

of welcome rather than

arrangements at funerals.

when others would show

us the path through the

quicksand of contempt,

take us by the hand

to the detour compassion offers.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

loverly

1 Corinthians 13

i can know love 

in every language, but

if i don't give it away,

i am lost in translation.

if i could tell what is

going to happen tomorrow 

or know all the quiz show answers

or am smarter than Stephen Hawking

but simply cannot love, i am clueless.

if i live off the grid and

leave no carbon footprint,

but i refuse to walk in love,

i am a poor role model in life.

love will wait, however long it might be.

love chooses gentleness over aggression.

love does not want what you have,

is not narcissistic,

won't push others away,

and refuses to be mean.

love does not cut in line,

won't chase you off its lawn,

never carries a grudge.

love doesn't do cartwheels

over another's legal troubles

and won't share fake news.

love yokes itself to the struggling,

listens without judging to pain-filled stories,

believes the best in others,

will never give up or give in.

love can never not be love.

sound bytes will be forgotten,

the latest scam rooted out,

the best-selling book 

will soon gather dust.

we are still in preschool

just learning love's language,

but soon we will be

as fluent as anyone else.

i look in the mirror and

see only my loneliness

but one day, the Beloved

Community will be there,

gathered all around me.

even though i take baby steps,

the day will come when i realize

love has been that beat in my heart

from my very first breath.

faith is so tenacious.

hope is incredibly persistent.

and love?

love is too damn stubborn

to ever give up.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

?s

"But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way." 1 Corinthians 12:31

in all the clamor

for war, revenge,

justice, defense,

could it be that

peacemaking 

might be a better way?

with all the polarization,

the fracturing of families,

friends, nations into 

angry camps of bitterness,

could it be that

reconciliation 

is the harder journey?

might it be that

when imaginary lines

are drawn down the middle

of families, churches, communities,

even in our hearts,

being willing to step across

and embrace the others

simply, and hopefully, be

the greater gift we can offer?

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

friggatriskaidekaphobia

"In the path where I walk 

    they have hidden a trap for me." Psalm 142:3b

that ladder i usually

step around on days

like this one? may i

grab it to go work on

a house for a family

living in their car.

that black kitten

crossing the street

towards me? may i

pick it up and cradle it

as i take it home with me.

that mirror i am afraid

of breaking? may i look 

deeply into it and see

those who have been

shattered by my indifference

so i can go and become

a better friend.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

highfalutin

"Now concerning spiritual gifts, my siblings, I do not want you to be uninformed." 1 Corinthians 12:1

remind us, Tender One,

that not every spiritual

gift is a highfalutin one.

the gift of napping

calls to mind keeping

the sabbath every day.

the gift of solitude 

is modeled for us by

the very One we follow.

the gift of wonder

is shown to us in 

every baby whose eyes

delight in everything around them.

the gift of gratitude 

is as simple as a prayer

over a hurried lunch and

a whispered 'thank you'

before closing our eyes

and resting in your grace.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

all seeing

"The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind." Psalm 33:13

you sit there,

broken-hearted God,

your head in your hands

and tears running down your cheeks

as you wonder (once again)

why we only care 

for the brokenness of the world

when the hostilities break out,

we only notice the kids

slipping deeper into poverty

as they hide behind their parents

seeking food and shelter at night,

we only look up for you

when we realize we have screwed

things up so much, we need help

we would never ask for 

in a million years.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

hankering

"As a deer longs for flowing streams, 

    so my soul longs for you, O God."  Psalm 42:1

as the aging cat

lies in the same spot

(even on driech days)

where the sunbeam 

has a daily appointment with it.

as the dog jumps

into the back seat 

on crisp, autumn days

and stares at the window

until its best friend 

buzzes it down.

as a parent sits 

in the darkened room

waiting for the teenager's

car to pull into the driveway

after an evening out,

so i hanker for you,

God of my aching soul.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

may i

"Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD," 2 Kings 21:1-2a

rather than the anger

i could speak to others,

may i whisper kindness.

instead of the hurt

i might inflict on another,

may i bathe them in

the healing balm of hope.

before i would judge someone

simply because they are not me,

may i listen to their story and

even more carefully to their soul.

in place of resentment which

could fester into bitterness

and fill my cup with evil,

may i dip my hands in the fountain

of living waters and drink deeply.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

depthless

"But those who seek to destroy my life
   shall go down into the depths of the earth;" Psalm 63:9

when the angry voices

try to fuel my own, 

may i whisper hope.

when the carvers of grudges

want to sculpt my image,

may i choose forgiveness.

when the purveyors of prejudice

offer me reduced prices on their stock,

may i invest in justice.

when hate seeks to plant itself

deep into my soul,

may i become a field for your

seeds of love you sprinkle

over me every day.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

in the ring

"So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air;" 1 Corinthians 9:26

it doesn't matter

how many punches,

jabs, crosses i throw,

that heavy bag of my grudges

just hangs there taking every blow.

i try to improve my relationships

with others working out on

cooperation's speed bag,

but when i walk away, i slip on 

my mask and become a lone ranger.

i spend a lot of time shadow boxing

with the Evil One, trying for a KO,

but the wily devil keeps slipping away.

but i will keep coming to your gym

hoping that one day, one day, 

it will all come together.

i hope.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

marked

"If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
   Lord, who could stand?" Psalm 130:3

we could not 

unless,

like Cain,

you cover us with a rainbow

promising never to abandon us,

you give us a sign that

though we are wandering

far from you we are not alone,

you have tattooed a part

of your name on our soul

even though others despise us,

you remember us

even when everyone else

has deleted us from their contacts.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

the gate

'"For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.'" Matthew 7:14

could it be

we make the road

harder than it need be

by walking it on 

our own terms?

could it be that 

the gate becomes

narrower and narrower

the more calories of

pride we consume?

could it be that more

may find the gate if

we are willing to join

that Beloved Community

rather than searching alone?

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

rise up!

“'Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,

    I will now rise up,' says the LORD;
'I will place them in the safety for which they long.'”  Psalm 12:5

because the media 

drools over celebrities

more than the vulnerable,

because the powerful

spend every moment trying

to accumulate even more influence,

because the wealthy

push aside the forgotten

to enrich their portfolios,

because those who should

do not care that more and

more children are trapped in poverty,

i will drag you out of your beds

so you will fix breakfast for

the truly hungry, not folks whose

last meal was 10 hours ago,

i will throw clothes on you

so you can go out and guard

the children who are frightened,

i will pull you to your feet

so you will walk until they ache

as you journey with those whose

search for hope and justice

is still on-going.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

follow the road

"Truly God is good to the upright, 

    to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
   my steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant;
   I saw the prosperity of the wicked."  Psalm 73:1-3

the narcissists get all the press,

and so we think we should

become more self-absorbed.

the knuckleheads get movie deals

which just put more money 

in their already stuffed pockets

and so we feel we should

try to do more shocking things.

and so, slowly, like a dripping

faucet which resists tightening,

we drift further and further

away from you, as we skip down

that road paved with envy's green bricks.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman