Recently I returned home after being away for a few months.   It felt strange to walk into my own home.  I wasn't accustomed to what should've been normal.   That soon changed.


The next morning I was at the kitchen sink and went to turn on the garbage disposal only to find it not working.   Usually if it's jammed, you can still hear the sound of  electricity but there was not a sound to be heard.  My first stop was the circuit breaker box.  Nothing was tripped so I moved on.  


As I stood in front of the sink, I knew what needed to happen next.  That involved me kneeling down on the floor and looking for the brand and model number.   I thought long and hard because after two knee surgeries, this was not a good idea.   I did the next best thing…I called my sister for help.


I wish we had a video camera, then again it was probably better that we didn't.   She has a bad knee but that left her with one good one.   She made it  down onto the floor and got a picture of the label.  We googled the unit to troubleshoot the problem.   It turned out we needed to find the reset button on the bottom of the disposal.  Easier said than done but we did it and power was restored.  It needed a special wrench to unjam it but Amazon saved the day!


Now why would I go on and on about a jammed garbage disposal?   It's not about the fact it was jammed but that it could be reset.    


After that incident I was talking to my daughter and I heard myself say that I needed to push the reset button in some areas of my life.   I wish it would be as simple as pushing the button on a garbage disposal but when you need a reset in life, it usually involves a long process.


The areas I need to reset didn't get jammed up overnight.   It took years of making excuses and wrong choices.   The result of these choices found me powerless and stuck in a place I didn't want to be.


As I thought about this, I looked up “reset” in the dictionary.  One definition caught my eye.  It said, “an act of fixing something in a new or different way.”  That's what I need…a new way, a transformation. 


I don't know what the reset is going to look like or where it will take me but I do know that God made a promise.   In Isaiah he says:


 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.


I know it has to be His way, not mine.  That's where the power is.  That's where I can move forward.  With His power, nothing is impossible.    I've wrestled with Him for many years and it was a waste of time.   It will be a daily surrender to His will.   I'm not going to dwell on the wasted time and say, “if only.”   Instead I'm choosing to dwell on and be thankful that His mercies are new every morning.   


That is my reset button.  

It's Not The End

By Eileen Glotfelty • May 23, 2026
Are you one of those people who like to read the end of the story before finishing the book? This morning I've been sitting here feeling overwhelmed by life. There are things that are out of my control and a lot of uncertainty. For someone who likes to have a plan, it's my worst nightmare. God's word says that He finishes what He starts and He will complete the good work in me (Philippians 1:6 NIV). I struggle with that when I can't see the finish line. God's word also says He's the Alpha and the Omega which means He is the beginning and the end (Rev 22:13 NIV). To me, that means that He sees it all. He knew where I would be on any given day. He knew my circumstances before I did, but unlike me, He's not worrying and overcome with anxiety because He sees the end. So, once again, I have a choice to make. I can sit here overwhelmed because I can't see the way out, or, I can trust the One who can. Will I choose hope or despair? This leads me to faith which is choosing to believe even though we can't see the outcome. I had to ask myself where I was putting my faith. Hope and faith work together. No amount of striving can earn them. Each one of us has access to them. All we have to do is ask the One who freely gives. Jesus, I know you've written my story and You know how it ends. Everything in this life is temporary. Even though I can't see the end, help me to rest in the fact that You do and I can trust You with my life.

The Lost Sheep

By Eileen Glotfelty • May 11, 2026
A few weeks ago I shared about my estranged child. Mother's Day came and went without a word. I spent the day wondering/hoping I would hear something. I didn't expect a phone call but maybe a text. I told myself not to have any expectations, but I still did. I was almost angry at myself for thinking maybe this year would be different. This morning I sat here talking to the Lord. He wants me to be honest with Him so I didn't try to hide the sorrow and the rejection. I told Him I was hurt and I had to forgive my child once again. He reminded me that I had three other children who hadn't forgotten me and made me feel loved and honored, so why was the rejection of one so painful? It was then I remembered the story of the lost sheep. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it's about a shepherd who has a flock of a hundred sheep. One of them goes astray and the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to go find it. It was a gentle reminder that He will never give up on my child and He loves Him more than I could imagine. In the same way, God will never give up on any of us. No matter how much we run or push Him away, He will never leave us. I needed that encouragement, maybe you do too.

The Prodigal

By Eileen Glotfelty • April 19, 2026
For those of you who have a prodigal child, you're not alone. What I mean by prodigal is a child who has turned their back on you and put up walls of defense. It came as a surprise, a shock actually. I should've seen it coming but after years of butting heads, I truly thought we were in a better place. The revelation came in a letter where thoughts and feelings were shared. I felt my spirit being crushed as I read it and my heart broke. I know I wasn't the perfect mother. I had struggles and behaviors that had followed me since childhood. I had resolved never to treat my children the way I was treated, but how many of us know that sadly it still happens, but in a different way. When you have a prodigal, it's not about forgiveness and reconciliation, it's about the pain they feel we've inflicted and they can't let go of it. I keep hoping that some day, things will change but there's no guarantee as it takes two surrendered hearts that are open to be healed. It's been four years now since I received that letter. I have grieved in a way I never have before and there were times I didn't think I would make it through. It's a different kind of grief because you know it can change but it's out of your control. It's been a process and I've experienced rejection, abandonment, guilt and shame but it brought me to a place where I knew it was going to keep me in a prison of pain if I didn't surrender it to God so He could heal my heart. The Bible has a story about a prodigal son. Even though the son went his own way and abandoned his father, his father never gave up hope. When the son had an “aha” moment and realized how foolish he had been, he humbled himself and returned home. This is my favorite of the story: “So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 NIV” This is how God greets everyone who returns to Him, no matter what they've done. I pray I would react the same way with my son. If you have a prodigal, my heart goes out to you, but just know that God sees you and your child. He is working behind the scenes as He is a God of redemption and reconciliation. He will heal your broken heart and give you the strength to hold on.