Watch Face Cuff Bracelet

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Once a month a group of us get together for the Junk Visionaries Challenge. This month the challenge is called Bits & Pieces. It’s about putting two separate junk things together to make a one new awesome thing. My project carried a lot of meaning and after you read all the bits and pieces that come together in my head below I hope you will hop over to my friend’s blogs and see how hard they have worked on some truly creative ideas!

I can’t remember exactly when, but a few years ago I stopped wearing a watch. I’m not even sure why. I do remember it took some effort to get used to a bare arm. Punctuality is a big deal to me. My phone substituted as my time keeper, I checked it less than a watch and my body just sort of got in it’s own little timing rhythm.

When my mom started making adorable brooch cuff bracelets I knew the stash of watch faces I had tucked away from a trip to Round Top would be the perfect accessory to adorn a leather cuff. (Full cuff bracelet tutorial here.) It would stand to always give me the perfect time.

The only time we should keep, but the hardest time to accept.

God’s time.

When I was pregnant with my second child I went into labor at 32 weeks. Pregnancy refresher: 40 weeks is full term and anything before 37 weeks is considered preemie. Needless to say this news was not awesome.

Immediately my doctor started every possible measure to prevent our baby from being born before he was fully cooked.  I was given steroid shots, medicine and a nifty set of strick bed rest instructions. In an instant all focus shifted from preparing for the arrival of our boy to preventing his birth. The weeks got long and uncomfortable, stir crazy and then some. With a 15 month old toddling around, I was ready for him to come. But I knew every day closer to his due date was a win therefore I not so patiently waited.

God was so gracious and didn’t allow Hank to make his debut until 37 weeks…and one day.

ONE DAY over being a preemie.

He was safe and healthy and allowed to go home with us versus having an extended stay in the NICU that so many preemies have.

It’s funny how when we hope and dream (especially when we are big and pregnant) we want what we want and we want it now.  We forget about the growing season when we want fruit today. Babies need nine months to grow, 21 if you’re an elephant. It takes time to split cells! And obviously the bigger the birth the longer it takes.

When babies threaten to come early everyone works to the bone to prevent a premature birth. God works just as hard to hold back the floodgate of answered prayers and dreams for us…until they are ready. God wants to give us the desires of our heart, but not until all the parts and pieces are mature, formed and ripe. That takes time. His time.

Lately, I’ve found myself looking back over the last year and thanking God for dreams he didn’t bring to light yet. Dreams I thought I wanted then but I clearly wasn’t ready for and frankly couldn’t have handle had they been gift wrapped and delivered. It doesn’t mean my dreams have changed or that he told me no, it just means I am fully recognizing that He knows better than me.

Our verse today gives us action and reminds us who’s wise hand is in charge.

1 Corinthians 3:7  I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.

We can plants seeds, work towards goals, lay out the desires of our heart and keep on putting one foot in front of the other. If you are chasing God sized, God approved dreams remember who has the growing power. Goodness is grown by God alone, we merely do the planting.

Whatever dream you desire to give life to remember anything brought forth before it’s time is premature. Maybe your not ready yet. Maybe all the elements aren’t in place yet. Maybe you are days away or years away. It could be you’re seeing a human sized dream where God is preparing an elephant sized one. I would guess that like me, you don’t want anything until God is good and ready to deliver.

As you resolve to work in God’s time this precious little watch face can sit gently on your arm, reminding you that it’s not your time. It’s God’s perfect time we seek.

You can get the full cuff bracelet tutorial here. I used E6000 glues to secure the watch face to my cuff bracelet.

Know a dreamer? Please share this message with them and PLEASE head over to see my friends!
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