Joyce Shutt

The birds are screeching and flapping around the bird feeders this morning.  It’s been cold enough that little has melted, so our landscape still looks like a Christmas card, and it must be hard for them to find food. It is truly beautiful, and when my daughter took me to the dentist, I just gazed

I skipped my supper last evening, so engrossed was I in The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon that I literally couldn’t put the book down until the last page.  And when I read the author’s notes and discovered that about 75% of the story was based on fact, though greatly fictionalized, I was blown away.  The story

At this stage of my life, I find that I no longer take many things too seriously.  I confess to feeling a bit detached from all of the political machinations that would once have had me pulling out my hair.  But on the eve of my 89th birthday, I recognize that I have lived a

Life has a way of being overwhelming at times, especially if we choose to be thoughtful and discerning about how we interact with what is going on around us and others.  Sometimes it seems tempting to simply go with the flow and turn off our brains and our hearts, but for me, at least, that

I’ve been reminding myself that an attitude of gratitude may not make everything better, but it opens the way to seeing the positive in every situation, and there is always something for which to be grateful—being alive for one.   I’ve been fighting a nasty virus for six days now, and it doesn’t seem to be

 Most of us know the Serenity Prayer, whether we have attended 12-step meetings or not.  “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”  This is an excellent prayer for all of us, as we all have

In our church discussion on Sunday, we were reminded once again that before we can really help or support anyone else, we have to take care of ourselves.  Since many of us grew up with the refrain of putting others first, we never really learned about self-care, what we can do or be without creating

With our annual yard sale in full swing, my daughter reminded me this morning that I don’t have to be there for the whole thing.  I could go home and let others carry the load.  It seems I am still needing to recover from my codependence.   We all like to be needed, but really… 

I am supposed to have a sermon ready for this Sunday if our scheduled speaker is not able to come because of health issues.  I’ve gone over the sermon notes that came with the lectionary, and they are really interesting, but they don’t sound like me or speak to me.  I swing back and forth between

Sitting down to blog, I stared at my computer screen without any idea about what to write.  That happens fairly often, it seems.  Blank screen.  Blank mind, so I reached for some daily inspirational readings.  Nothing.  Oh well, I thought.  No one is saying I have to blog every day.  That is an expectation I

 I came back from my senior’s exercise class utterly pooped.  But the sun is shining, the sky is a bright blue, the temps are in the 70s, so what is there not to like?  In fact, the days when my get up and go, gets up and goes, those are the days it is most

Sitting in the doctor’s office yesterday and looking at all the others also waiting to receive their treatments for macular degeneration, I was struck by just how unkind the aging process is to most of us.  It’s not that I want to live forever, but this aging business seems so unfair.  Intellectually, I can see

We humans prefer a manageable complexity to an unmanageable simplicity, so observed Fr. Bruno Barnhart.    I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around that since reading it.  We prefer a manageable complexity to an unmanageable simplicity.   As my granddaughter would say, that’s deep. Having just gotten back from my walk with my friend,

I rarely know what I’m going to write about when I sit down to blog.  Sure, there are times when an idea has been brewing, or a phrase has been bouncing around in my head, but that is no guarantee that I will go in a specific direction or even end up writing about that

 I awoke feeling a bit grumpy.  My eyes are bothering me, and I gave way to the fear that I may be losing my sight. But then I went outside for a walk and suddenly I was infused with gratitude, a gratitude that welled up inside and spilled over in thank yous to God.  Our

One of the really difficult challenges of our social media age is discerning truth from fiction when it comes to the news. There is so much misinformation floating around out there that it is hard to know what is what. The best we can do, perhaps, is learn as much as we can about our

After reading the morning paper, I checked my email.  Three people sent me editorials and meditations that focused on approaching life with a positive attitude, suggesting we all actively focus on the positive, rather than the negative, especially in our current political climate.  We’re not to ignore the many problems that face us, but each

Many of the books I’ve been reading recently have centered around sibling rivalry and the tensions that build up within families.  I suppose that isn’t surprising, as a significant percentage of our intimate relationships are family-related.  Speaking for myself, it was only later in life that I was able to accept my two sisters for

I’ve been recently reading several novels about WWII, not a good thing to be reading in today’s climate with the ICE raids, etc.  So when my daughter suggested Marie Bostwick’s The Book Club for Troublesome Women, I was glad for the change.  It was a good read, especially for this old woman, as it brought

 It’s a beautiful summer day.  Warmer than I’d like it to be, but my morning walk was still doable, and the flowers dancing in the morning breeze were perky and lovely. Looking up and down my street, I was once again aware that  I have so much for which to be thankful,  whether it is

It’s a beautiful summer day.  Today will be a hot one, but it is still early enough that the temps have not climbed to an uncomfortable state, and there is a refreshing breeze.  Our patio faces southwest, so it gets the morning shade, nice for sitting outside in the morning and enjoying God’s great outdoors.

I was going through some old blogs and found this one on gratitude.  It seems worth repeating.  Some time ago, I wrote:  I listened to some TED talks on gratitude.  By the time the program was finished, I was filled to overflowing, even close to tears. There was so much hope, so many possibilities for

I pulled up a clump of wild daisies last week and planted them in front of the house where they bring me pleasure daily.  More than that, they remind me that both little and big things mean a lot. Just having a house to clean, dishes to wash, laundry to fold, friends to call, enough

While going through a pile of papers on my desk, I found this prayer.  I suspect it was something we had used in one of our worship services, but the source and author are long forgotten.  I also think I may have used it previously in one of my blogs, but it is certainly worth

It’s sad that we have to grow old before we can revel in a quiet, do-nothing day.  We’ve become so over-stimulated with our 24/7 technology that we don’t know what to do with even small slivers of downtime.  My friend’s grandson, who is only five, has been so exposed to some form of constant screen

Coming home from exercise class I was listening to NPR and a program discussing Trump’s attempts to overturn birthright citizenship.  In the end, I suspect, the showdown will come when the Supreme Court rules against him.  It is then we will find out if there is anyone strong enough to stand against him.  Up until

About ten years into our marriage,  my husband and I hit a rocky patch, and we began counseling.  We hadn’t gotten far into the issues when my counselor stopped me in the middle of a rant,  “We’re not here to change your husband.  We’re here to look at the ways you create your own unhappiness. 

Years ago, when I was a newbie in the 12-Step Program, I discovered the National Religious Press’s 12 Rules For Happiness, which helped validate the 12 Steps for me. Over the years, I’ve found many restatements of Jesus’ The Sermon on the Mount, which, if my information is correct, is the actual basis for the

 When I heard about the fires in the West, they seemed very far away, something that couldn’t happen here in Adams County, but after several years of drought, it has.  Two large fires are spreading rapidly in the state, near us. Towns that are very familiar and only miles away are being affected. People are

 Sorting through old papers is enlightening.  The older I get, the more it seems nothing ever changes.  Situations, clothing, music, and fads may change, but not human nature.  Each generation has to start anew.  Consequently, generation after generation, we humans keep asking the same questions and struggle with the same issues, how to discern good

I’ve always loved books.  As a kid, I hid in the bathroom with a book or snuck a book and flashlight under the covers when I was supposed to be sleeping.  Books have been my steady companions since I was an infant. I can’t remember a time when my Dad did not read to me.

It’s been days since we’ve seen the sun.  Mother Nature seems to be trying to make up for all the days it didn’t rain earlier this spring and winter.  Day after day, we’ve had drizzle with intermittent showers, which is allowing the water to soak into parched soil, and I am so grateful.  We’ve needed

I came back from exercise this morning reflecting on just how difficult self-care really is.  In our culture self care often focuses on appearances, dressing nicely, eating well, getting massages, doing exercises, shopping therapy, etc. all of which have their place,  but before any of those things can really fit into true self care we

Five of us went to Lancaster to join Mennonite Action in standing against war and supporting the victims of war.  It was an amazing experience as it eliminated all political partisanship by advocating and praying for the victims of war, not for Israel, not for Palestine, not for the US, etc.  We prayed for the

After winter’s cold weather, these sunny, warmer days are truly mood-boosting. I am fortunate enough to have my massage therapist work just two blocks away, so walking to and fro this morning was an experience of sheer delight.  Listening to the birds, noticing the maples in bloom and taking in other signs of an awakening

It’s March 10, 2025, the third anniversary of my husband’s death.  I’m feeling a little sad, but life goes on though good men die, as Edna St Milay wrote in her poem “Lament.”  I think I’ve adapted quite well, thanks to the help of my children, especially my daughter, who lives just 15 minutes away.

Spring is in the air.  It’s chilly outside this morning, yet it is a different kind of chilly than the chilly of a month ago.  The promise of warmer weather and the emergence of spring flowers and blooming trees brings hope to our winter-weary souls.  I finally got NPR on my car radio this morning,

My house cleaner is here this morning, chasing me from place to place as she works.  At this stage of my life and with my back issues, she is worth her weight in gold to me, and I find myself wondering why we demean manual labor and elevate desk work or intellectual meanderings such as

After a weekend of winter mix…snow, sleet, ice, rain, wind, the sun is shining, though the winds remain. At least the power is back on.  When it went off about 6:30 last night, I decided on an early bedtime. But all is good now and I am once again thankful for all those things which

I don’t usually blog on Saturdays, but after sharing a light supper of soup and chicken salad with a special neighbor and going out to breakfast with one of my church buddies, I’ve been reminded of how blessed I am to have so many precious friends.  When contemplating true riches, good and faithful friends stand

It’s taken me about four days to recoup my energy from our trip to Vegas.  This old body just doesn’t bounce back like it used to do.  Even so, I’m rather proud of myself for doing as well as I did, but I have to admit I was very grateful to take advantage of the

I overslept this morning, so when I got up, the temperature outside had already climbed to an amazing 23 degrees—a veritable heat wave.  The sun is shining, rays bouncing off the glistening snow cover. Lovely. So very lovely.  God has certainly graced us with a beautiful planet.  But, given the snow cover the birds are

It snowed yesterday.  All of the ugly remnants of our past snowfall are covered over.  Everything is pristine again and glistening in the brilliant sunlight streaming through the trees.  It is absolutely lovely and reminds me of the importance of new beginnings. I am still plugging away at Richard Rohr’s Jesus’ Alternative Plan.  For anyone

 One of the basic teachings of the 12-step program relates to denial and letting go.  If we are to change, we have to let go of the beliefs that have undergirded our lives and held us back.  For the alcoholic, the belief that alcohol will make them feel better and solve all of their problems

It’s snowing, and the ground is covered in white.  Fresh snowfall is incredibly beautiful as it covers over the scars of our selfishness and greed.  It is a reminder that “behold, I make all things new.”  But so often, my response is a jaded, “if only.”  This faith thing is not easy.  We are thrust

Self-care is easy to talk about but much more difficult to put into practice.  Most of us know at least some of the things we could do to be kinder to ourselves, but we have all sorts of excuses for not implementing them now.  Thus, I found a sermon my friend preached some time ago

 It snowed last night, and the birds are busy at the feeders.  It’s as if they perch in the trees, just waiting for me to put out food.  By the time I am inside, they are sweeping in, chattering and fussing at each other to move over.   My father would be so pleased I’ve

It’s a rainy, dismal winter day, a day to stay inside.  Time for some serious gratitude work.  I went to the senior’s exercise class at our local fire hall this morning and discovered I am woefully out of shape.  I am committed to going  at least twice a week as I am aware of how

I am so grateful that I am past the frenetic activity surrounding Christmas.  I will put up a few decorations and lights, but that is it.  No gifts to buy or wrap, no big meals to prepare, no parties to attend. My husband and I opted out of gift-giving years ago and chose instead to

It’s difficult for me to believe that man was created in the image of God, given our history over time. Even the Bible is filled with accounts of our failures to live up to God’s expectations.  We are, by and large, a selfish, cruel, and violent species, and the more civilized we are, the more

I can easily become distraught when I think about the ways many of our conservative brothers are playing the role of the morality police, emulating many of the ideas and practices we criticize in countries such as Iran, which base their society on Sharia law.  I often find myself staring into space, my mind wandering.

 One of the joys of being older is the time we have to spend with friends.  By the time we reach this stage of life, most of us have gotten over caring about how we look, what we wear, what we’ve done, etc.  It just feels good to spend time with those we’ve come to

 Last evening, my daughter and I snuggled down on the sofa and binge-watched one of the Masterpiece series.  After she went home, I continued watching a series on climate change…one of those scientific studies that scare the bejeebers out of you yet gives you hope.  One thing is clear.  Despite computer projections, no one really

 It was quite a weekend.  Three of us went to the The Ten Thousand Villages reunion held in Akron,Pa..  For those of you who are unfamiliar with Ten Thousand Villages, it is one of the largest Fair Trade Organizations in the world.  They carry  everything from tea and chocolate to Oriental rugs.  At one time

Waiting for the furnace man to check the system and switch things from air conditioning to heat, I grabbed my Kindle for something to do and opened a book titled The Echo of Old Books. Just a few pages in, I read, “Books are feelings. They exist to make us feel, to connect us to what

For years, I walked alone and found it a positive experience.  It was as much a walking meditation as exercise, but two years ago, I began walking with what I’ll call an acquaintance.  We knew each other and enjoyed each other, but we really didn’t know each other. That quickly changed as we began walking

 I woke rested and grateful for a good night’s sleep.  Unless you are like me and have sleep issues, sleeping is one of those things we simply take for granted.  There are so many things like that.  I simply took it for granted that the car would start until I got in my car in

Last evening, my daughter and I went for a walk.  Trump signs and flags have been continuously appearing.  One neighbor even put up a full-sized picture of Trump on their front door.  Once again, I find myself wondering why churchgoers have so much faith in a man who has proved himself to be so untrustworthy,

 Meaning and purpose.  We all need to have something that gives meaning to our lives.  Both my husband and I were doers in our active lives. Even though he was terribly crippled with rheumatoid arthritis, he found his purpose as an accountant.  He served as the bookkeeper/treasurer for many organizations and did taxes for friends

It’s a beautiful September morning.  The weather has been absolutely amazing.  Warm sunny days and cool nights.  I turned the air conditioner off in late August, and my ventilation system has become open windows. There’s something about sleeping with the windows open that feels wonderful.  As the night cools down the deeper I snuggle into

My friend is a fabric artist.  I like to piece quilts, but my quilts are pretty simple and amateurish compared to hers.  Some of her wall hangings and quilts are so astounding they leave me breathless, not with jealousy, but admiration and pride in her achievements.  Over the years, I’ve learned to know myself and

Self Pity and gratitude do not make good bedfellows.  They are opposites, two perspectives that are pitted against each other.  Both are valid, but each leads to far different results.  Finding the balance between acceptance of one’s limitations and self-pity is one of the major challenges of aging, for as our bodies fail us while

My nest is empty again.  Our son from Montana came to visit this week.  What a wonderful and relaxed visit.  Even so, we got most of the windows and curtains washed and new blinds put up.  It’s amazing how fresh and clean things look.   I’m trying to come up with something profound to compare

I ran away for the weekend with a daughter and a friend.  It was wonderful getting away and spending quality time with these two fantastic women.  I sometimes feel sorry for men who seem less able to form these kinds of close ties with other men.  I know my husband often commented on the bevy

After over 6 weeks of devastating drought we had a good soaking rain.  One friend said they had over 4 inches in their rain gauge. Fortunately, it didn’t all at once.  Much was a slower, gentler, soaking rain, but make no mistake, streams were flooding, and the ground squished when we walked because the ground

 Most of our problems, I’ve come to realize, exist in our heads.  It’s not that challenges don’t exist. They do, and some are really serious, but it’s the spin we put on them that causes us pain and suffering.  My sleep issues, for example.  I recently read that we need a good 8 hours of

Last week we’d have celebrated our 65th wedding anniversary.  The day passed quietly, but since then, I’ve been thinking about him and what a gentle, caring man he was.  I often blamed him for not being more romantic,  but looking back I f wonder how much of the fault was my own, because I didn’t

Soon after I fed the birds this morning, the phone rang.  Roman Manuel has arrived, our 8th great-grand!  7 lbs plus with a head of long black hair.  He has all his fingers and toes, as his proud grandmother announced, and what more could we ask for but a healthy baby?  But 8 great-grandchildren?  How

I’ve asked my friend to play and sing one of her evangelical praise songs for  Sunday’s service.  It’s a fun, bouncy song, and I think joy should be part of a worship service.  But I’ve also been thinking about the words,  the sacrifice of praise.  Why should our our praise and gratitude be a sacrifice?

I woke earlier than usual this morning, treating myself to breakfast with a book on the patio before taking my walk.  By the time I got back from walking, it was hot, but my walk was saved by a delicious breeze; I’ll be inside for the rest of the day as there is a heat

Procrastination is my middle name.  I’m a real pro at procrastinating.  I’m almost as good as my husband, who used to claim that he’d procrastinate if he could just find the time to get around to it.  Our habits seem to have this way of digging deep into our psyches.  In fact, some become so

I’ve had writer’s block since coming home from the hospital. I sit down to write, and my mind goes blank.  I get up to do something else, hoping that changing the scene will make a difference, but to no avail. Generally, such periods are short-lived lived, but this has been going on for several weeks.

 I ate breakfast on our patio this morning.   Being in the shade, the patio escapes much of the hot sun until mid-afternoon.  I’m not sure why I don’t sit out there more often, as it’s delightful.  I can look at the houses marching up the street, watch the breezes tickle the tree leaves, and

Jesus is known for some hard sayings, but one of the hardest is  “Don’t worry.  Have no anxiety about anything.”  If you are anything like me,  that’s easier said than done.  While I’m getting better at letting go, I still have a ways to go, so when I get stuck in a worry rut, I

One of the unspoken realities of any serious illness is fear.  Fear of dying,  Fear of being helpless.  Fear of the unknown.   Fear of not getting better.  Fear of pain.   Even when we convince ourselves that we are not afraid, fear lurks in the dark corners of our minds.  It burrows into the recesses of

Courage is fear saying its prayers.  We tend to think of courage as the absence of fear, the empowerment of conviction, bravery, etc.  But real courage is acting in the face of fear, taking a stand when overcome with fear..  It takes courage to confront our addictions when our addictions have so completely taken our

Confronting reality, I’m rereading Louise Penny’s novels, and I just finished A Trick of the Light.  I found this one especially interesting as the plot addresses a basic question. “Can people change?” and weaves together information about the art world and AA and partially answers the question, “Can people change?”.  At one point in the

Expectations.   Expectations are good.  Expectations keep us motivated and growing.  Expectations keep us from settling for less than we deserve.  With one caveat.  We dare not become too invested in the ultimate outcome of our expectations.  It’s one thing to have expectations; it’s another thing to get angry when things work out differently than

Acceptance opens the door to almost everything in life.  So much of our suffering stems from our refusal to accept what already is…not as fatalism and apathy… but as an opportunity for change.  That’s why Step One of the 12 steps states: “admitted we are powerless over drugs and alcohol (insert your current situation or

 Just back from a trip South to visit family, I find my inbox filled with questions as to why I’ve stopped blogging.  I haven’t stopped;  I just took some time off to rest and relax in the arms of my family.  Interestingly enough, one of our many topics of conversation was gratitude!  It seems that

It’s raining and cold, a good day to practice gratitude.  These are the days I am aware of those who are homeless, those living in shelters or motel rooms, and those who do not experience the same benefits I do.  Gratitude is not a replacement for helping others, but gratitude opens the door to all

Our daughter is getting solar panels installed on her roof today.  I wish I could put solar panels on my roof, but that’s against our association’s rules.  My response to their “no” is helping our daughter put solar panels on hers.  Once again, I was reminded that it’s not necessarily the big things that bring

The washing machine isn’t working.  The tub is full of water and wet clothes, but the agitator refuses to agitate.  This happened several years ago.  “Unplug it,” my husband said,  “Let it reset.”   So, that’s what I’ve done.   I’m hoping for the best,  as I just bought a new dishwasher last week.  It, too, had

We went to see Origins yesterday – which I am still trying to process.  It’s so easy to automatically assume that everyone’s experience is similar to ours, but for many,  their world looks very different from mine as a middle-class white woman.  In fact, it’s almost impossible for me to imagine what life is like

Last evening, my daughter and I watched the documentary “My Octopus Teacher.”   What an amazing experience.  As a result, I’ve been thinking about all of the ways we humans mistreat our environment and the ways we have chosen to misrepresent the Genesis passage by claiming that God instructed us to dominate, use, and misuse

Age comes with its pluses and minuses.  So far, I have far more in the plus column than in the minus side, I’m happy to report.  Having practiced gratitude for many years, I can usually find something positive in every experience, but that doesn’t mean I don’t struggle at times.  Having been an avid reader

We have far more control over our thoughts and feelings than we may want to admit.  Granted, life has this way of taking over our thoughts,  but we can teach ourselves to respond differently if we are willing to do the work of reprogramming our brains.  After all, it is not what happens that deeply

As life speeds by me in my geriatric slow lane,  I am grateful to have old and trusted companions to come along with me.  I’m still walking most days.  I still do my own light housework.  I still sew and hand quilt, though some blocks’ corners don’t quite jibe as well as they once did.

It’s the start of a new year.  I haven’t made any new resolutions as I have enough left over from the past.  You know, the generic resolutions that never go out of date. Walk more.  Eat better.  Get more sleep. Practice gratitude.  Do at least one good deed per day.  Be more accepting, more generous. 

This past week I wrote several blogs about Christmas movies.  Evenings when I am home alone I often quilt and watch TV.  So many of our TV programs glorify the worst of humanity, the darkness, hate, fear, and anxiety that is so prevalent everywhere.  Christmas movies make a nice change from who done-its, even if

There was a time when I thought I had to think big when making my life bucket list,  but no more.  Now, my bucket list is made up of those little things that I had previously thought I was too busy to do . . like ringing the bell for the Salvation Army.  The other

 We humans don’t do well with pain and discomfort…hence many of our God questions.  After all, our greatest questions center around the issues of pain, evil, and suffering.  But when read without all the decorations, soft music, and tinsel, these are the things that define the Christmas story.  Come Christmas Eve, many of us will

The older I get, the more I seem to fall into a daily routine.  Get up, get dressed, make coffee, and read…generally meditational reading, which often inspires me when it’s time to blog.  Sometimes, I blog before walking, but most times, my friend and I walk before I settle in for my second mediational period

Jesus tells the story of the woman who lost one of her dowry coins and turns her house upside down to find it.  When she finally discovers it, she goes to all of her friends and neighbors to share her joy in finding the lost coin.  Yesterday was a beautiful,  clear,  crisp Central Pa. morning. 

I worked at the polls last week. Because so few people are volunteering these days, we had the bare minimum working in our precinct,  but ours is a small one,  so it wasn’t a problem.  It was a long day, however.  We worked from 6 am to after 9 pm before we were able to

A  Buddhist teaching says that what causes suffering in life is the general pattern of how we relate with others – as in envy toward those above, competitiveness toward those who are equals, and contempt for anyone below us.  It is so easy to blame the victims of life.  It’s been said that if you