GarThoma
You are trying to discern your path in life; you’re attempting to connect with Christ. You might just need someone to listen to your story. I am here for you.
11/02/2022
I have COVID so I have been isolated from everyone for a week. It’s given me time to reflect, read, listen to podcasts, paint. I try to be productive. And rest. I have taken a few naps. Usually, when I get alone and quiet, God begins to bring things to my attention. Recently I prayed about racial reconciliation. I have been taking a course in my church called…...
https://garthoma.wordpress.com/2022/02/11/the-race-problem-i-am-starting-to-get-it/
The Race Problem: I am starting to get it I have COVID so I have been isolated from everyone for a week. It’s given me time to reflect, read, listen to podcasts, paint. I try to be productive. And rest. I have taken a few naps. Usual…
02/01/2022
I know it's been awhile since I posted to my blog. The new year seems to offer a great opportunity for this. Some people make resolutions for the new year. Sometimes I do this and, they sometimes stick. Mostly they don’t. This year, I am prayerfully reflecting on my values. These are not values I actually hold to all the time, but rather the values I desire to live in every area of my life....
https://garthoma.wordpress.com/2022/01/02/reflecting-on-my-values-for-the-new-year/
Reflecting on my values for the new year I know it’s been awhile since I posted to my blog. The new year seems to offer a great opportunity for this. Some people make resolutions for the new year. Sometimes I do this and, they somet…
Been awhile since I’ve posted to this page. So, I think I’ll post a haiku poem. Not for any particular reason other than it just seems appropriate. And appropriate is the definition of beauty. And I just want to fill the world with beauty.
eastern wind arrives
spirit falls and flowers dance
and trees applaud
24/04/2021
I am reading a book by Pema Chodron, called When Things Fall Apart. I started reading it about two or three months ago but then I stopped. I do that sometimes, I just get to a place where I am no longer interested or some other book captures my attention. About a week ago I wrote in my journal asking God to help me love like he loves....
https://garthoma.wordpress.com/2021/04/24/recently-a-buddhist-writer-helped-me-understand-jesus/
Recently A Buddhist Writer Helped Me Understand Jesus I am reading a book by Pema Chodron, called When Things Fall Apart. I started reading it about two or three months ago but then I stopped. I do that sometimes, I just get to a place where I am no l…
08/04/2021
Science is all about getting to the absolute, correct; repeatable, provable solution of a problem. Art is all about creatively and imaginatively using the resources at hand to make something beautiful. It may look different each time and it may result in failure, but each failure will lead to a more interesting and beautiful solution. (Ok, I can hear the scientists out there… I know there is lots of trial and error in science too, but just try to go with me here....
https://garthoma.wordpress.com/2021/04/08/being-led-by-the-spirit-is-more-art-than-science/
Being Led By The Spirit Is More Art Than Science Science is all about getting to the absolute, correct; repeatable, provable solution of a problem. Art is all about creatively and imaginatively using the resources at hand to make something beaut…
God speaks in every tongue, when He talks to me it is often the language of poetry, sometimes haiku.
Moon sits above trees
The weight of a dragonfly
Pressing into earth
Here’s ya a new haiku poem I wrote
The full moon seems sad
Up in the cloudy night sky
Lunar affliction
Here is a loosely made haiku poem that I wrote a few years ago. I really love the notion of these very short pointed poems...
pear blossoms drop
little paper wings
from the sky
One of the great temptations of our day is to always be in multiple places at one time. The notion of being present and mindful seems so foreign to us. We think that mindfulness is some kind of New Age woo woo stuff. We don’t realize that our very survival relies on it.
Below is a haiku I wrote about mindfulness and presence. I would encourage you to read haiku poems, try writing one yourself. It is a good practice for facilitating mindfulness.
being present now,
the doorway to everything.
particular grace
This week my sermon was a poem. I was inspired by Amanda Gorman’s poetry reading at the Biden inauguration. Her poem was so delightful and so inspiring. As I was listening to her I starting thinking about how a poetry reading could be a sermon. So I started the very next week trying to write a sermon as a poem. It just didn’t happen....
https://garthoma.wordpress.com/2021/03/18/beautiful-alternative-a-poetic-sermon-or-a-sermonic-poem/
How about a new short poem for this morning?
Fragrance
No one has to tell flowers
To come up out of the mud
They are drawn up by the sun.
No one has to tell flowers
To be beautiful
They only let their colors
Be revealed by the sun.
No one has to tell flowers
To spread their fragrance
They let their sun warmed
Petals express their scent.
Here’s a fresh poem I just wrote this morning. It’s about the pilgrimage from shame to hope. Enjoy.
Pilgrimage
The language shame speaks
“Why didn’t you (fill in the blank)”
“If only you would have (fill in the blank)”
The figure shaped like light who lives in my head;
Everything’s all shiny and bright in the words that she says;
“If only you would have (fill in the blank)
Your life would be better by now;
Right where you intended,
But you didn’t (fill in the blank).”
I could take off my clothes and run naked in a crowd
Feeling less shame than from the words she speaks in my head.
Well, I’ve passed a new milestone
One more failure to “chalk up to experience”
One day I’ll get it right,
Do it the way she told me to
Until then I’ll keep moving forward
Avoiding the abyss
Thinking I’m doing it right
‘Til I’m betrayed by her kiss.
Hope knocks at my door
Come to visit once more.
I’ll pick myself off the couch
And let hope in
We’ll have a glass of wine
And talk about the past
Until hope changes the subject,
Invites me on another journey;
A pilgrimage into the future.
12/03/2021
The language shame speaks “Why didn’t you (fill in the blank)” “If only you would have (fill in the blank)” The figure shaped like light who lives in my head; Everything’s all shiny and bright in the words that she says; “If only you would have (fill in the blank) Your life would be better by now; Right where you intended, …...
https://garthoma.wordpress.com/2021/03/12/pilgrimage/
Pilgrimage The language shame speaks “Why didn’t you (fill in the blank)” “If only you would have (fill in the blank)” The figure shaped like light who lives in my head; Everything’s all shiny and brig…
10/03/2021
For the past couple months I've been leading my church through a study of the book of Revelation. I have avoided teaching this book, mostly because of all the crazy conspiracy stuff that people have come up with to interpret this complex book. I finally broke and decided that we could all learn together. I got some trusted commentaries and writers who have written on this book....
https://garthoma.wordpress.com/2021/03/10/what-the-book-of-revelation-really-means-to-me-anyway/
What the book of Revelation really means (to me anyway) For the past couple months I’ve been leading my church through a study of the book of Revelation. I have avoided teaching this book, mostly because of all the crazy conspiracy stuff that peop…
cleaning out my heart,
clearing away the clutter,
so God’s love will fit
fuel for the way
motivation for this life
oil of gladness
Here is the poem I wrote a couple years ago:
Have You Arrived?
You’ve been here waiting all along
My heart has arrived;
Brought where it belongs.
To my true self, this path I’ve trod;
It begins and ends in the heart of God.
As my soul lands in this sacred space,
I see you’ve come to prepare this place.
The table is set where we will break bread.
The wine is poured for after we’ve been fed.
The chairs are arranged, we sit face to face;
Your every word I wait to embrace.
Your smile so bright sends shadows racing out,
Fear all gone, you’ve removed all doubt.
We sit in silence your eyes light my soul,
No words spoken, just your gift to make me whole.
Love is heaven’s currency.
Death is the only sure thing. Everything else is a risk. Take a risk.
26/02/2021
I was listening to a Richard Rohr podcast when I heard something very interesting. Father Richard compared the Bible to a map. It was just something he said in passing. He didn’t spend too much time on the notion of Bible as map, but it really got me to thinking about the notion of Bible as map... Maps are supposed to help us get to places....
https://garthoma.wordpress.com/2021/02/26/a-map-for-the-spiritual-journey/
A Map For The Spiritual Journey I was listening to a Richard Rohr podcast when I heard something very interesting. Father Richard compared the Bible to a map. It was just something he said in passing. He didn’t spend too much tim…