Perceive: a Way of Seeing

This is my new prayer journal cover. It goes along with my theme for the year:

Receive New Vision

. I like the word "perceive" because it doesn't just mean "seeing" like we see in the natural realm. It's a way of seeing that holds mystery, a deeper understanding, a discovery of reality. 

When I read and wrote the verses I took it in a spiritual context and my imagination took flight. 

Now with the events of the past two weeks, I feel a bit cynical and am wryly applying them to my current state. On the last day of May I received an email from MobileMe to switch to iCloud or else. I was working on a compromise when "else" happened. My phone contacts went permanently missing. Thankfully my email list was restored and the past month of emails, but the domino effect is still going. So I sigh as I spend many unplanned hours hunched over the computer quoting the above verse as a message from God in a strange new context: "Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up. Do you perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. From now on I will tell you of new things, hidden things unknown to you." But alas, I am also thankful. My great art and geek friend Anneli helped me over the biggest hurdle. My dear husband has been incredibly understanding, and in time the frustration will fade and this drama queen will recover and hopefully move up to the next level.

As far as the actual art of the cover goes, I may color it, but for now it wants to be black and white. As I was doodling and lettering, I was also practicing for the upcoming art journaling class at the end of the month. Yay, it is full of people and enthusiasm. I love painting papers in the summer. It makes me feel like I live in a retreat center.