orphanage (John 14:15-21)

when 
we keep forgiveness 
      tucked away in 
      the back of our freezer, 
   yet are eager to 
   microwave anger; 
we cannot find 
      the time to be 
      with our loved ones, 
   because our stress-causers 
   take priority; 
we stand alone 
      convinced that we 
      need no one else 
      to help us, while 
   they are knocking 
   on our heart with 
   hope in their hands, 
we continue 
to fill the world 
      with 
orphans. 
 
(c) 2017 Thom M. Shuman 

sorry, paul (Romans 5:3-5)

 watching chemo drip
      into your child
   week after week, does
      not produce endurance,
   it wears your soul
         down to a nub; and
walking by the side
      of your aging parent
   through
         dementia's desert
      doesn't build character,
   it erodes your
          heart; and
though the preachers
      always pontificate
   other wise,
      too many know
         how hope
   trips them and
   leaves them crumpled
by the side of
      despair.

(c) 2017 Thom M. Shuman
 

all we need (Romans 4:16)

not the letters after our names,
   or the framed sheepskins;
not the amounts in our accounts,
   or the stocks we hope to use to
   paper the mansions in heaven;
not the successes we have carved out,
   or the pats we get on the back;

but simply,

the simple faith
that we can
                  depend
on God's grace,

that's the only
guarantee we
need.

(c) 2017 Thom M. Shuman

neighborhood (Leviticus 19:18)

in the little kids
who spend Saturday mornings
making sandwiches for
rough sleepers, and
      giving them away
      in the evenings;
in the PTSDed vet
who gives half of his
sandwich to the
four-legged friend
   who shadows him
   everywhere;
in the dog who
keeps guard over
the aluminum can filled cart,
      while the old lady
      sleeps on the doorstep;
in the old lady
who gives a tenth
of her earnings from
the recycled aluminum
      to the children, so
      they can buy more
   sandwich fixings,

i meet neighbors
who love others
far better than
   i ever will.

(c) 2017 Thom M. Shuman

blessed

blessed are the dog-walkers,
    for they will discover the streets of the kingdom;
blessed are those who welcome refugees,
    for they will embraced with unimaginable love;
blessed are those who read to children,...
    for they will plant seeds that bear fruit;
blessed are those who shelter the homeless,
    for they will be shawled in God's grace;
blessed are those who stock food pantries,
    for they will taste God's hope;
blessed are those who reach out to the outsiders,
    for they shall be called bridge-builders;
blessed are the faith-full foolish,
    for they shall be called the clowns of God.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

room of requirement (Micah 6:8)

so self-focused
on our devices, we
   wander right past
   injustices sprouting
         up around us;
we step over those
sleeping on the streets,
   who thirst for just
   a sip from our steaming
         cups of kindness;
we race after the
proud and powerful, trying
   to grab their coattails,
           until

we discover your heart
standing wide open so
   we can enter and
   learn how to live.

(c) 2017 Thom M. Shuman

coddiwomple (Baptism of the Lord)

drenched
    in your grace,
  dried off
    with your tears,
we slip our
feet into the
   sandals finely crafted
   by Spirit, and
begin our stumbling,
      hesitant
   walk with you,
not sure
   where
  or why
    or how,
for it's even
a mystery to you.

(c) 2017 Thom M. Shuman

servant one (Isaiah 42:1-9)

your servant,
      Gentleness, comes,
   splinting bruised
                  reeds
         with justice;
   using Spirit's tweezers
   to slowly pull
            faith
      out of the
      puddles in our
            souls,
         so we can
         burn brightly;
   birthing hope
      from fear's
      barren womb.

(c) 2016 Thom M. Shuman