A Season of Yearning...Bible Journaling Advent

One thing I've noticed in my Bible that I've overlooked in years past is the empty spaces. The ESV Single Column Journaling Bible is what I've been using to add art to the Bible Journaling. This week I've considered the meaning of the space between the Hebrew Scripture and the New Testament. A few partially blank pages and one full blank page represent hundreds of years when God's people waited and wondered. The word that comes to mind is "Yearning." The advent hymn that comes to mind is "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" written by Charles Wesley.

"Come, thou long expected Jesus, 

born to set thy people free; 

from our fears and sins release us, 

let us find our rest in thee. 

Israel's strength and consolation, 

hope of all the earth thou art; 

dear desire of every nation,

joy of every longing heart. 

Born thy people to deliver, 

born a child and yet a King, 

born to reign in us forever, 

now thy gracious kingdom bring. 

By thine own eternal spirit 

rule in all our hearts alone; 

by thine all sufficient merit, 

raise us to thy glorious throne."

It is easy for me, on this side of the earthly life of Christ, to lightly gloss over the silence in which people lived their lives, quite possibly in great longing. What I can relate to is the uncertainty, waiting, wrestling, yearning for God to reveal himself to me, to speak to the situation I cannot comprehend.

I didn't expect the blank pages of my Bible to speak to me, to increase my longing for of an awareness of God's presence and purpose in my life, but they did. Sometimes, God uses the most amazing things to speak to a person's heart, even blankness, silence...

Here is a description of the process I used for this Bible page:

  1. I applied fluid acrylic Phthalo Turquoise, Dioxazine Purple, and a small amount of Quinacridone Gold paint to a piece of deli sandwich wrap paper. I used paint sprays, but could have applied paint with a brush and spritzed it with water instead of the paint sprays, or made a dark background on a geli plate to print a piece of deli sandwich wrap paper. See NOTE at bottom of post for more info on the deli sandwich wrap.

  2. Then I misted it with water to represent a night sky that was dark but not just black.

  3. It was quite wet and runny, so I blotted it with another piece of the sandwich wrap paper and ended up using that piece for the background.

  4. After it dried, I spattered Titanium White and the Gold paint for stars and depth, using a damp toothbrush. As I waited for it to dry, I typed a prayer, in a Word document, I had written a few years ago that still echoes the season of advent and my heart's cry. I centered the text and adjusted the size to what I could write and to what would fit on my Bible page.

  5. Using a light box, I put the painted sheet of deli paper on top of the typed text sheet I had printed. Then in my own handwriting, I wrote over the words with a white gel pen. It was a bit hard to see through the dark paper, but since I was just looking for where to begin the words and relative straightness, it worked out okay.

  6. I sprayed it with fixative because the white ink is not waterproof. and let it dry outside.

  7. Then I measured the size for the rectangle to fit in the Bible and cut it out.

  8. From an old hymnal I tore out the first 2 stanzas of "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus. I cut the straight edges.

  9. Then I glued the music onto the night sky background with matte medium and brushed the medium over the top of the music.

  10. When that was dry, I tinted the music with the three colors I used for the background.

  11. Then I tore and cut strips from the leftover painted deli paper and some gold paper I had painted earlier.

  12. I glued them and a few gold pieces on using an acid free glue stick.

NOTE:

 Sandwich deli wrap paper is not available everywhere. I bought mine, First Street brand at Cash & Carry here in the U.S. The paper is also called Dry Wax paper, but is different than the regular wax paper I buy at the grocery store. I also have used Kabnet wax brand that is available on Amazon. It is more waxy on one side so I prefer the First Street brand. I have noticed other brands on Amazon, Marcal and Logan, but I haven't tried them.  If you have, it would be great for you to let us know in the comments.  There may be substitutions where you live. Look for translucent paper that can withstand wet media.

MATERIALS USED:

Blog Affiliate Disclosure

To make the products I talk about in this blog and videos more accessible and to answer product questions, I've affiliated with Amazon.com. I do not get paid for using any of the products and only share products I use often, and am pleased to recommend them. I get a number of questions regarding the products I use. I thought this would be the win/win opportunity for you and I. If you click on any of the Amazon product links above and purchase the product, I receive a small percentage, like a tip. It does not cost you anything.