In my everyday journal, I had written a list of Scripture references that were relevant to my word and animal of this year. When I looked up Psalm 18:26-36, the passage stood out to me as the Psalm for this year. Not only does it have the metaphor of the deer, it also has the metaphor of the bow which connected with my symbols and word for 2015, aim. There is so much in the passage, it was hard to condense what was important to me at this time. I will be revisiting it throughout the year.

         Psalm 18:26-36 NRSV

"For you deliver a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down.

It is you who light my lamp; the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.

By you I can crush a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.

This God—his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true;

he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

For who is God except the Lord? And who is a rock besides our God?—

the God who girded me with strength, and made my way safe.

He made my feet like the feet of a deer, and set me secure on the heights.

He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have given me the shield of your salvation, and

your right hand has supported me; your help has made me great.

You gave me a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip."

I researched the passage following the process I wrote about in the last post, recording it in my everyday journal.

I imagined myself in the shoes of the Psalmist and spent time reflecting, listening, and then wrote a prayer of who God is to me in the shape under the deer.

On the opposite Bible page is Psalm 19, another page full of the awe of God and beautiful metaphor. To set the tone for both passages, I painted the background like the sky that is still readable. I am planning to return to the Psalm 19 passage and more Bible journaling on that page later.

A day or so later, I approached the Bible art journaling part you see in the photos above. I find the art making is more meaningful to me when I have prayed through and studied the Scripture. It gives me a focus as I work out through my hands what is in my heart and mind.

Below is a Description of my Art Process and Materials used:

- I brushed a coat of acrylic glazing liquid on the Bible pages and allowed it to dry thoroughly- Reduced the size of the outline of the deer I had drawn earlier from my photo, and printed it out.

- Then traced the deer onto a piece of deli/sandwich paper in pencil (see note below)- Put the tracing (deli) paper over the page in my Bible for Bible Journaling, I traced over the shape of the deer in pencil, and wrote the text.- Traced over the pencil lines with size XS and S Pitt pens.

- Allowed it to dry for about a half hour.- Erased the lines with a kneaded eraser.

- Brushed a coat of matte medium over the deli paper drawing and let dry.

- Used Royal Soft-Grip brushes to paint the fluid acrylics

- The colors of fluid acrylics I used are: Phthalo Turquoise, Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold,  Sap Green, Dioxazine Purple, Napthol Red Light, Iridescent Gold Fine Bright, and Titanium White.- Cut around the outline of the entire shape with small scissors.- Painted the background of the Bible page and allowed it to dry thoroughly- Glued the deer deli paper shape onto the Bible page with a glue stick.- Painted the negative shapes between the legs to match the background.

NOTE:

 Sandwich deli wrap paper which is a dry wax paper, but is different than the regular wax paper at the grocery store.