Posts Tagged finances
Becoming an Anchor Man, Pt. 2
Denise had her last day at Geico today, she’s officially unemployed, and I couldn’t be happier. Wait, huh? Yes, you heard me, I’m thrilled. I was so happy to see her come over today after working her last shift. Understandably so she wasn’t sure how to feel, having just worked her last day at a “real job,” and knowing that could likely be the reality forever. We talked a bit about how she was feeling throughout the rest of the day, and it’s clear that this will take time to get used to. Women are so institutionalized by the culture today. Being a homemaker or stay at home mom is nothing to be proud of anymore according to the rest of the world. Even though Denise was in full agreement that this was best, in the back of her head she admitted was the world going “Are you sure? But you won’t have an identity anymore!” This couldn’t be any farther from the truth! Her identity won’t be in me either. Our planet puts so much pressure on women to become their “own man.” A funny term to use for a woman right? Yea, I think so too. As far as I’m concerned, the worlds our oyster now. We won’t really begin digging into the possibilities that we can strive toward together until we’re married, but for now she can wake up tomorrow morning on Christmas Eve (first one she’s had off of work in a number of years) and look at the clock with no place she HAS TO go to. I’ll never forget when I got home from working on The Grace Card for a short stint, with no prospects, job, or any clue of where I needed to go…and impending bills just like everyone else. I woke up a little scared, but realized this was a time to shine. This is the time for me and her to grow, learn, prosper (Lord Willing), and build a future TOGETHER. What a concept. Being able to work together and build a future together and not with me working at A and her at B is a real Blessing. As far as I’m concerned our future started today, and not so much on Jan 22nd (although that day will be the starting point we both remember in the long-term).
I’m excited because I’m ready to knuckle down and become a provider. I’ve wanted to do it for so long. I wasn’t just anxious to be married in the past because I wanted a lady friend to smooch, it wasn’t the first thing on my mind. I just had this need to protect, provide, etc. someone else, but no person existed to fulfill that, so I just put my energy wherever I could to be useful until that hopeful day came. Well friends that day started on December 23rd, where I’m officially responsible for two people and not one. What a Blessing! Of course the world goes “Ew! You mean you have to work to serve someone other than yourself, that’s not fair!” I welcome it, I’ll thrive on it. I think it’s something that men have lost. You have “your money” and “your wives money.” You have “your plans” and “her plans.” Enough is enough, it’s time to ANCHOR this family with a one-income home, which will provide a way for both of us to become the most effective, with the gifts and talents and natural tendencies that we both have as men/women. I don’t mean to be beating up anyone who does differently, but based on all that I’ve learned and see in Scripture, this is the best option for us, and it’ll provide the greatest opportunities for not just me and her, but our future family as well. Anything can happen in an instant and everything can be completely demolished. Plans aren’t written in stone, but I need to do what I feel God has called me to do as the man.
The title of the second chapter of this book isn’t something I’ll post here, because it might offend a few, but it involved a certain male “thing” that swims to a thing and BOOM you get a baby. The point of the chapter was it takes more than that “thing” to be a dad. Any excited hot-blooded male with a woman near him can be a father, but it takes a MAN to be a dad.
It’s funny I never used to be a reader. Now I find myself in the middle of three books, with others waiting to be started. If you remember a little while ago I was a little depressed because I felt like I wasn’t on top of studying things that needed to be. Well God seems to be answering my prayers because I asked for a hunger to read and it’s come. I look forward to what 2011 will bring. To tell you the truth this week has been extremely stressful and taxing on me mentally. I’ve had so many things on my plate. God is already providing work for 2011 and I find myself booked solid until March, with one job extending all year, another from Feb-Aug, and another from Jan-Jun, with other ones in-between Jan-Mar (that’s why it’s booked) and who knows what else from then till the end of the year. I was a little hesitant to have her quit, but I just felt like it was the right thing to be doing and low and behold, God is providing already so I can do what needs to be done to be sure she’s taken care of. Thank you Jesus! 
I’m sorry if this post felt a little high and mighty, that isn’t my intention. I’m just a bit more excited today than usual. There is so much potential for the future, and so many new things to learn and do. God is good, and holds true to His promises. I see more of it everyday. Speaking of which nobody can get anything done without sleep, so I better end this post now before I collapse on the keyboard. It’s already no secret that now that Denise will be helping me out here, and with us getting married and her moving in afterwards (which is getting close…29 days today!), I need to get on a normal sleep schedule. Lots of changes coming, BRING IT ON!
Ephesians 3:20-21…
Seeking, Searching, Planning, Working…
It’s of no surprise to those that know me that I’m a planner. I set goals, I like to place my mind in a spot beyond today. I’ve written about my thoughts on setting goals and making plans, and how it can be a problem to worry about the future, but at the same time not setting any goals means no change. I decided a long time ago, perhaps even before I got saved that I was going to make something of this life. It was going to count, count for what I probably didn’t know at the time but I can see God working in me a long time ago. He gave me a drive and a determination to do whatever I set my mind to. Even if I failed it didn’t matter because I would just keep on moving. Determination, drive, confidence, whatever you want to call it…it’s a choice. Every day you need to wake up and commit to another day of progress, another day of learning, another day holding to the purpose that God may have for you during your day and the purpose you know he has you out to fulfill during the next week or year or lifetime. It’s about understanding who you are, whos you are (yes I meant to say it that way), and what your here for…then going and doing it as hard and with as much dedication and heart you can muster.
I keep thinking about life and where God could be taking me. As I’ve stated a few times I’m not exactly sure how I’ll make money in 2011. I have no clue. Odds are I’ll be doing something similar to what I do now, but it all depends on a phone call or an email from somebody else. Not the greatest job security in the world, but I have to trust that when the time comes, an opportunity will be there. At the same time, I realize that 2011 isn’t here yet, and what opportunities will be there in 2011 will probably hinge on the results of 2010. So what am I doing now in 2010 to make sure 2011 is a good year? How am I being a good steward with my money so that in 2011 I can provide for a possible future wife? What about in 5 years when I could have a child? It’s a fine line to be sure between worrying and a healthy sense of goal setting. Goals can be changed and ruined easily, and tons of work destroyed in an instant. It doesn’t take much, trust me.
If I’m going to set goals, I try and set goals that are of eternal value. I look at financial goals for a family as eternal value not because the money I might save is of value, but the family that I use that money to support has value. The money ins’t where the value is placed, it’s in being a Godly husband and father, and taking care of those I’m given responsibility over.
I’m just seeking out what God would have me do this year. I already know I need to finish my film and get that out in stores, but there could be something else that he wants me to do. I don’t want to get comfortable. I want to make sure that even if I end up finding that there is nothing new for me to do right this very moment, that I know that I looked so there is no doubt.
I had a church in Hawaii sign up for the Praise Pictures email list today. Very cool to see somewhere so far away sign up. Not sure how they found out about us, I would be curious to know. Word is definitely getting around. I might not have tons of marketing going on in magazines, on the radio or on TV, etc. but somehow people know about this film and are waiting for its release patiently. I really can’t wait to see what God does, it’s going to be something special.
Continue to keep me in prayer please. I’m looking for more work wherever I can get it, I still need that song for the film or the original one to be written, lots of details to work out, deals to sign, logistics to figure out, etc. Lots of work to do, on top of what I’m currently doing to pay the bills.
Till next time…
Typical Jitters
Today was a good day. I spent the morning uploading trailers on the CFT.com website to our new YouTube Channel to get it up to speed. Church was nice, although it was an early arrival. With my moms car out of commission and her teaching sunday school my alarm went off at 7am this morning. That’s early for me Sunday school was great as usual…and wonder of wonders it involved work and how to look at it. It’s funny how things are showing up right about now just as God is teaching me what he is the past month. Nothing is by chance!
Afterwards Kevin gave me a ride home so my mom could stay and enjoy the potluck. Right away I got to work again getting some other things fixed. The CFT.com YT channel got a new design that suites it much better, the Praise Pictures YT Channel got a new background…the twitter page for CFT.com got a background as well and a new icon and color scheme. New ads were placed on the CFT.com website as well, and they actually bring commission if the clicks yield any sales from the destination site. I’m going to continue pushing that website until it gets on its feet a bit more. I think it could be a very popular place once the ball rolls a bit faster. This past April is when the site when up, with the simple purchase of a domain name. That investment and some time to get it running…some investment in emailing friends and others via web searches brought in some helpful dough as the year progressed.
Totaling up my income this year, I was surprised to find myself only a few grand short of last year, and that was with a steady paycheck every two weeks (the same amount). Honestly in the next month I could balance it out if not pass last years income. What this years problems were all about were gambles with expenses. The move to CA and back, the move to Memphis and back, the two months from July-Aug where I lived back home in NY and bought groceries, the equipment I needed to buy for the film only a few months ago, and a slew of other expenses I didn’t really expect this year. Still, ChristianFilmTrailers.com accounted for almost 10% of my income for 2009, which is pretty dang impressive for an “idea.”
Tomorrow we shoot in the morning for Standing Firm. There a loose end to tie up that we didn’t really know about until we screened the film, so we’ll be filling that gap. They aren’t even scenes, they’re just shots needed for the flashback sequences. Pray God has favor on the shoot and all goes well! Pray our actors (and by actors I mean a deacon at my church and my mom…no not kidding) do well and that all aspects work out properly. My gaffer Shaun Smith will once again be doubling for sound (ah the life of a no-budget filmmaker). I’m excited to get what we need tomorrow, because afterwards besides a shot of a clock at our church, and an up close shot of a bible…I can lock Reels 1, 2, and 3. 
The film is close…very close to a lock.
Keep praying that the prospects I have come through…especially the website previously mentioned. They’re all websites but this one is legit for sure, I just need confirmation so I can draw up a contract and get to work. I love graphic design…in the past two years I’ve really been able to develop a system in finding what I want quickly, and realizing what my real style is in regards to web graphics especially. It’s a learning process, and I think 2009 has brought me very far! There’s still a little ways to go!
Gotta get up to shoot tomorrow…I’ll post grabs from the footage later tomorrow night.
