Tag: hopeful

Re-framing the Shot

So, a little known fact about me is that I work part time as a wedding videographer. My position is a second shooter to the lead videographer. It is a newly acquired skill that I am still learning. One of the characteristics of filming a wedding is the adaptability to change. Schedules rarely stick with their preplanned time line. All the vendors know this and try to accommodate the wedding party. It is their day after all. We just have to adjust to the situation and changes to create the most enjoyable moments for the couples and their guests.

For photographers and videographers, we all know that we must work in all conditions to get the perfect shot. Whether it is a small chapel with barely enough room to navigate the side aisles or in the blazing sun, freezing cold, or downpours. There is only one opportunity to capture an important day in the lives of the clients. It has to be right.

One step I take with every wedding is stopping to frame the shot. While I use a moving video and photographers take still pictures, the concept is the same; the people and objects must be in a certain part of the frame to look right. In video production the screen actually displays “thirds”, lines which help to keep the objects in the right part of the frame. For ceremonies, cameras are placed on tripods and set up and framed before the couple walks down the aisle.We double check everything as we wait for the groom first and then the bride to walk down the aisle. And then the music begins and we start rolling the video.

That’s when we can either validate our work in setting up the cameras, or when we can find that we are in fact not framed right. And we must react and reframe the shot. We can tilt the cameras’ angle either up or down, or pan left or right to make sure we capture the people in the frame.

No matter how well we plan the camera angles, there usually needs to be an adjustment. The framing does not always fall perfectly into place. And then there are the people who stand in front of the cameras. Not on purpose, but without realizing it, they have ruined our view of the bride and groom. Not intentionally, but never the less, we must adjust the camera and reframe the shot.

Recently, I was filming a wedding ceremony outdoors near a rock wall. My camera was all set. Perfect. The music started. The bride was walking down the aisle. I was set to capture the groom’s reaction as he saw his bride for the first time in her wedding dress. Everything was set. And then. A photographer stepped right in front of my camera. I had to reframe the shot and scramble to pick up my tripod and camera and lift it over the rock wall, all the while rolling. It was frustrating to be sure, but thankfully I got the shot. I have never had to carefully lift the gear and move it that much while filming, but it was important to not miss anything. Like I mentioned before, I have to get the shot.

This has reminded me about life. I get all my ducks in a row- that is everything ready and planned out, and there is always something to disrupt my plans. Just like the wedding guests or photographers who unintentionally block my view, in life the same can be true. And there are not do overs.

We find that we have to constantly adapt and change to life. Plans do not flow as expected. We have to deal with others and their schedules. Not everything in life will be the way we would like it to be. We have to step back at times and reframe out perspectives. Sometimes we literally have to take a step back and move from our position- whether actually a physical location, or an opinion, and see a different view.

Other times we must change our thinking. We must stop thinking the negative thoughts and choose to think about the positive. Sometimes we need to change our attitudes from negative to positive to reframe our thinking. Our minds will go in whatever direction we allow them. But we have the ability to stop and pick up thoughts and move them out of the negative. If we want to improve our thinking and attitudes we need to keep them in the frame. And in focus.

If you are finding yourself needing a reframing of your thoughts or attitudes lately; here is a great verse from the apostle Paul: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8, NIV).

If you take each part of the verse and stop to think about something that fits the description, it will change your perspective. I have tried it before and found that it works for me.

What was something true about today? What was something noble- that is something good someone did for you?, What was something that was right? What was something that happened that was good today? Did someone help you? Was it thoughtful and unexpected? Did you notice anything that was so selfless that it amazed you? Is there someone you can give thanks to? Can you thank God that you are alive today?

Think of these as guidelines on your perspective. They will keep your thoughts in frame and from going south. Life happens and we can choose how to react to it by choosing our thoughts. Keep them in the right framing. God Bless, Nancy

Weary

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

I don’t know about you, but I am weary. And I suspect many of you are also. We all get weary at times, trying to keep it all going. And keep it together. To keep ourselves together. We carry these burdens for ourselves and even for others. We must maintain our work selves, our church selves, our family selves and society selves- All these roles we find ourselves in. Trying to keep all the roles connected, balanced and producing good results. And if that isn’t enough, there’s this burden we carry around with us as a constant reminder of the problems in the world. We are of course not responsible for the world or its events, yet we find ourselves burdened and troubled by the global crisis’ . Too much bad news, horrible news, incomprehensible news. Earthquakes, bombings, hurricanes, uprisings, Covid. We are all just a little weary right now. And the constant contact through our mobile devices in our pockets, keeps all these problems and global crisis’s on our minds and always within reach, inescapable, it seems.

We might tell everyone around us that we are”fine” when the reality is, we are not “fine”, but far from it. We are weary. We need rest. We need help in dealing with all of this. We need each other and we need Jesus’ peace and comfort.

I admit I am not an expert in dealing with it all, but there are a few steps we all can take to help each other. First, talk with each other openly. If you are not doing well, let someone know. Talk to a friend. Tell them what is going on and what is wearing you down. If you are having serious, suicidal thoughts, tell someone or call a professional hotline. Help is close and people who are trained to listen are waiting for you to reach out to them. You are not a bother. Your friends and family do love and care about you, they need you here. The pain you feel is temporary, it will get better and there are people who can help with your pain.Let them help you.

Second, if you are just tired and weary from too much of the world taking your joy, step away from social media, or block or snooze individuals or pages that are upsetting you and causing you undue stress. Do not keep your phone where you sleep and don’t let it be the first or last thing you check in the day. Instead read, listen to music or take a gratitude inventory.

Third, a gratitude inventory is something I have recently begun. Before your day begins or as it ends, meditate on what you have to be thankful for. At the end of the day, recount the positive events of your day and offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God. Just breathing and living another day is reason enough to be thankful. If it is the beginning of the day, offer thanks for the opportunity for a new day, a new beginning. Even the little things matter. So be grateful for a bed and a pillow, for a meal to wake up to. For your family and friends. God has provided it all. We forget sometimes that not everyone is enjoying these at the moment. Some are homeless, others have lost a loved one or a friend. Some do not have the hope of Jesus. They are trying to do life all on their own,in their own strength.

Fourth, don’t dwell on the negative. Look for the good during your day. Focus on what has gone right, instead of what is going wrong. Focus on positive Bible verses like the one above. Write down these verses and place them on sticky notes everywhere to be reminded of them. Or subscribe to a daily word app that will send you a text or email.

Fifth, to know these verses, you must pick up your Bible and read it. Or get an app for your phone with a daily verse. Remember the Bible is not just a book written by a bunch of dudes in the past. It is inspired by the Holy Spirit. It has power to change minds, challenge you and give you peace and comfort. Don’t believe me? Just try it for a week. It doesn’t mean that suddenly all your problems will disappear, but it will change your perspective. It will change you. Bad circumstances, like those of the world right now, are not going to go away immediately, we cannot change these, but we can change our attitudes and perspectives. And surprisingly, by doing so we change our brains. Our thoughts affect our physical brain chemistry as well as our physical shape. Someone has said that we are what we eat, but scientifically speaking, we are what we think about.

The last step is to take time to pray. God does hear us. It might be we have been neglecting our prayer lives, because we feel like there is a wall between us and God. Or we think He is mad or unhappy with us, but here’s the thing, He knows who you are. He made you. He’s okay with your doubts. He’s okay with you for not being perfect. He loves you. He knows you have messed up, so that’s not a surprise to Him. Just talk to Him, like a friend. He promises rest for the weary and help with your burdens, you don’t have to do this alone.