September and October have been an incredible start to the school year...but that doesn’t mean they were without disappointment and tears.  Yes, there was laughter, fun, and productivity...but there was also frustration and dead-ends.  One project in particular did not turn out as expected.  The Pajama School trailer, that was supposed to be finished and entered by October 30^th, is still not finished.  I bought the book, read it, and filmed the scenes for it.  So what was the problem?  I had hoped by that time to have already bought a new desktop with which to edit.  The computer I am currently using is not capable of true video editing.  The frames freeze up and skip, making it impossible to edit frame by frame.  Still, I was willing to give it a shot.  Bigger problem: the computer no longer recognized my camcorder. I could not upload any video.

This had happened before.  I had tried uploading footage for the first time ever and it didn’t work.  For months, we had no idea how to solve the problem.  At last, Dad cleared out our computer and started it over from scratch with the start-up discs and it worked...somewhat.  There were still problems because of its limitations.

Back to the present, I was facing the same problem once more.  I didn’t want to clear out the computer again (a ton of work) since it wouldn’t work properly anyway and I would be getting a new one soon.  Or so I thought.  To make a long story short, October has come and gone with no new computer...and no finished trailer.

But the object of this post is not to fill you in on my filmmaking woes :).  As the deadline was approaching, I hoped somehow everything would work together at the last minute.  After all, I’d prepared by reading the book and filming the necessary footage.  I thought about how it would be awesome if, by God’s grace, everything came together and I was still able to enter the contest...especially since it would be obvious I didn’t do it in my own strength.  It would be a great opportunity to give God all the glory. Would that be wonderful?  Yes, I would’ve loved it.  But then I thought, wait a second.  Can God be glorified when things do not look "successful"?  Or as my title says: What about when things don’t work out?  Definitely!!!  In Facing the Giants, Coach Taylor doesn’t just say, "When we win, we praise Him."  He also said, "When we lose, we praise Him."  Either way, God was to be glorified.  I want it to be that way in my life.  When, by God’s grace, I’m able to accomplish something...I want God to be praised and glorified.  And when, no matter how hard I try, I can’t accomplish something...I want God to be praised and glorified.  Because I "lost"?  No!  But because He is always worthy to be praised and deserves all glory and honor forever!  Soli Deo Gloria!

Note: I still plan, Lord willing, to eventually finish the trailer and post it here. I don’t want all that interesting footage to go to waste :). Who would have thought that sixty seconds could involve so much? I was able to practice my piano playing and handwriting, dress up as a pioneer and detective, serve and drink tea, and much more! Are you wondering if it’s possible for all that to actually be pertinent to a book trailer? Stay tuned and see for yourself!