Hello Hatters,
For many years, I used a Garmin fitness tracker for my watch, which included notifications for phone calls and messages. I got points and rewards at work, so that was fun. After I retired, I tried different smart watches, but I didn’t like the sizes. They were so big! I was a regular at the UPS store, returning different watch styles. I couldn’t find one I liked that was also comfortable.
I remembered I had some old watches in my jewelry box, so I decided to investigate the battery replacement of one of my analog watches. I was surprised to find two watches of the same style, but made in different years by Timex. I looked up the models on the web; one of the watches was made in 1996 and the other one was made in 2002.
I ordered the right battery and received it yesterday. This morning, I tackled the battery replacement and setting the date. Being that today is the 14th and the watch date was set on 1, it took me over an hour to get to the right date. With these old analog watches, you have to move the watch hands through the 24 hours for each date to advance. My thumb and forefinger on both hands got pretty tired with this repetitive movement.
Hey, a bonus! This particular watch style has a light if you press the dial. It’s not bright, but I can see the time in the dark.
As I was moving through the hours to set the date on my analog watch, it reminded me of the scriptures about God‘s time is not our time and His ways are not our ways.
2nd Peter 3:8
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” NIV
Isaiah 55:8-9
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” NIV
When I finished my task of setting the date and time on this watch, I studied the second hand as it moved through a minute. Whether I have a watch or not, time is measured. It occurs to me that it’s what I DO with my time that really matters. Purpose counts. When I check the time, I hope I consider how I spend my time. Reflection matters. Actions make a difference. Rest is also important. The balancing act is tricky.
As a writer who wears many hats just like you, some of my favorite moments are in the doing and in the reflecting. It’s like listening to a song while I’m doing chores; am I really comprehending the lyrics? Am I preoccupied? Additionally, as I look at my watch, do I understand how I’m spending my time?
MT Penny