canticle 33

blow the dust off the drums,
put new strings on the banjo,
get the piano tuned, 
hand wooden spoons to little kids
start playing the golden oldies,
while making up new songs for God!

sit down, play scrabble with our God,
forming new words from grace's pile of letters;
words like justice and hope,
words describing stars and sunsets
and God's incredible language of love:
love as sweet as a crisp apple,
love as fresh as an autumn breeze,
love as tart as summer lemonade,
love that's deeper than our fears.

reach out your hands to grasp those
of our sisters and brothers every where
as we join in the dances taught to us
by the Spirit who whispers in our ears.

God knocks over the houses of cards
we build from our foolish thoughts,
simply asking as to hope in the Heart of love,
and to trust as deeply as did are grandparents in faith.
12 we are blessed when we trust in God,

when we see each other as family

God keeps an eye out on all of us,

watching carefully to see if

we love without reservation,

if we offer compassion without conditions

if leaders turn away from power and threats,

offering justice and grace instead

God twirls in circles when we

honor the divine image in others,

when we pick up hope from

the shattered places of life,

when we choose love, not hate;

when we feed those who wander

through both food and fear deserts;

in moments of grief and pain 
beyond imagining, we wait,

and here comes God, in those who run

toward hate, to transform it into love,

who shelter little ones from horror;

we trust, and so we hope;

we hope, and so we offer our hearts

to the One who fills them with grace;

every time we trust, we hope, we come,
God is waiting

every time

(c) 2019 Thom M. Shuman