Lately I have felt like the plane of Summer Ray is taking a nose dive right to the ground, and I have no way to stop it other than to stand still and let God be God. Oftentimes, He waits to the last minute to step in and sometimes He has even waited for things to die, just so they can be resurrected. The Bible states in Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think…” I cannot even think of how big God is, and how infinite He is. I do not have all the answers. But I do know this. God is faithful. But decisions have to be made and sometimes He waits for us to make them.
In cutting lose some of the dead weight off the project, I feel the project is not so delayed anymore. It is stressful when people who are on board say that will do something and do something else. The waiting game gets ridiculous and somehow I was the bad guy because I refused to wait any longer. But, time is ticking forward and it seemed to have been passing us by. Keep friendship and business separate. Sometimes we give our friends an opportunity and sometimes those opportunities are taken advantage of, due to friendship. Our projects are a business and must be treated as such. Let me say that again. Our projects are a business and must be treated as such!
So, my goal now is to refocus my viewpoints. I must gain the wisdom necessary to proceed in ways that do not cause such drastic delays. Some delays cannot be predicted. But the ones that can, I need to remove. No more being taken advantage of. No more looking out for friends, if they are not contributing to the well being of the project. It is just that simple! We cannot be polished, if we are contaminated and tarnished with the uncommitted. If there is no real dedication, there is no real progress. People might be loyal to the person, but not to the project. Or they feel entitled due to the friendships. They want the accolades and special treatment, without doing the work. This is deadly as I have found to time, money and at times… friendships.
I have to take my emotions out of the project, and keep those for production when they are needed on set. I must maintain a level head and keep my friendships separate from my employees. Even non paid extras are still employees. My thoughts are to seek those in the business. It is what they do and then there isn’t so many issues with me being let down.
I need to be in a filming state of mind. If I am going to the dentist, I don’t want him to be in a fishing state of mind. I want and need him to concentrate on my teeth. My project needs me and my team to be in a filming state of mind and remove what is injurious to the progress of our film. Focus. Focus. Focus! We are making much needed decisions and halleluiah, waiting on God to do the impossible!
THE MEMOIRS OF SUMMER RAY 