I bought my 8-year-old Ben a watch this summer. Honestly, the purchase was selfish. I just wanted him to stop asking me what time it was. I handed him a tool for independence … so I thought.
Sure, some independence came.
But so did the time updates.
“Hey, Mom, it’s 1:20 right now. What time did you say our friends were coming over?”
“Is 4:26 before or after dinner? Did we have lunch?”
I’m not exaggerating here.
I gave my kid who struggles with time – both understanding it and managing it – a watch because I thought he needed a tool. But he needed guidance along with the tool. I had to have conversations with him, but having the watch has been a helpful tool for our conversations. Whether it has helped his understanding of time is still to be determined.
During these conversations with my boy, God reminded me of how He alone is the Time Keeper (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11) and how He provides all sorts of tools for us to know him and make Him known.
Like Ben asks me when meals and outings are going to happen, I ask God when So-and-So will understand what I’m saying. I nag God about when this and that will happen. I wonder why my plan is falling apart.
I try to craft and control when I really
need to surrender to the Time Keeper.
Maybe I need to wear a watch. Or, really, I should hold close the promises from the true Time Keeper (Psalm 121).
We’re going to get fed (2 Corinthians 9:10).
We’re going to get where He’s taking us (Ephesians 2:10).
We’re going to learn and grow and change (2 Corinthians 5:17). And so will the people around us.
God is going to finish what He started within us and it’s going to be glorious (Philippians 1:6).
And I’m guessing in heaven it won’t matter what time it is.
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Love the story about your watch-watching boy! This is the first summer in my whole life in which I haven’t had a watch tan. The battery in my watch died in April, right before we left for vacation and since I didn’t have time to run to a store for a battery, i just decided to leave the little tyrant at home. When I came back from vacation, I decided to see what would happen if I stopped wearing a watch for a bit. It’s been a nice break!
Watch-watching boy is exactly right! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed your time (ha!) without one. Thanks for being here, Michele!
So timely – and the pun was not intended 🙂 Truly.
For me too. God knows what we need to hear. Thanks for your faithfulness here, Joanne! xo
Wonderful illustration. We need to rest in the Timekeeper, who holds all our moments.
Yes, every single one! Thanks for your encouragement, Barbara!
Your post reminded me of the song “In His Time”. “He makes all things beautiful…” laurensparks.net
Yes! Glad you’re here, Lauren!
Oh to be a child again. Your story about Ben and his watch makes me chuckle. Like you stated, how many of us are like Ben waiting for answers etc. Yet God is already there and has already provided us with so much…food, clothing, etc. Great post friend!
My kids teach me a lot about faith, that’s for sure! Thanks for being here, Tara!
Ouch. This is definitely a post for me, Kristin. I need to trust the Time-Keeper more instead of depending on my own warped sense of time. Thanks for sharing and I hope your son keeps his watch for a long time to come. 🙂
Oh I know all about that warped sense of time too, my friend. I’m glad God could encourage both of us. xo