Perspective

so 

so much of how we go through life and internalize things mentally and emotionally,

is all about perspective.

But first before I continue with this post, I wanted to share some Papaya Art with you!

 It is some of my

most loved art out there and I picked just a few of 

my favorites to share with you.

Pretty great, right?

 I first fell in love with Papaya Art when my BF gave

me a piece to hang, about 6 years ago. . .

I have her. But I think I need that Fearless one next.

I knew my love for Papaya Art reached new heights when, out of 

all the planners I could have chosen for 2012, I chose. . .

 thee anticipated arrival of the parcel. . .

 out of parcel, but. . .{look at that packaging!}

like it was my birthday!

isn't it pretty? I had to go with the Eiffel Tower b/c

I've been there!

They even included a couple of greeting cards in a few different sizes.

The planner has accordion pockets inside too, which 

is perfect for a thought jotter downer like me.

Here is a quote on perspective on one of the first pages--btw, this puppy is gorgeous inside! Filled with beautiful

art work on every page.

"The real voyage
 of discovery consists not
 in seeking new landscapes
 but in having new eyes."

marcel proust

Let's face it, more times than not we are unable to change our circumstances; our "view" our landscape.

We live in a fallen world full of unthinkable circumstances and losses-- terrible, awful, painful things

happen to all of us, some more than others. And there are several answers as to why, but

that'd have to be another post. But for now, I think it's simply b/c our world is imperfect.

We then are traumatized by unfathomable events.

Our bodies, minds, families, 

marriages, jobs, groups, friends, and 

churches, 

fail us everyday.

Most of the time all we can do

 is push through and endure.
{I truly believe if we search long enough and deep enough, we can gain a new perspective.}

And of course we pray. 

And in that prayer, we might not should be asking God to change our landscape,

{which is not bad to do}, but to change how we handle our landscape {circumstances}.

 How to better live among it.

Beg God to give us a different perspective.

 Ask Him to give us a new way to look at it. A new way to find peace with it.

Torture and unplanned as it may be, it's happening. It's happened.

I know we can find good and beauty in everything if we just ask God to show it to us. 

We are too blinded by hurt to possibly think there could be any beauty in many landscapes, 

but it's there.

Having a new way to think about something can change your life.

I know b/c it's happening to me. It's happened to me.

And it will continue to.

So I seek out God in prayer and ask gently, and sometimes not so gently,

to give me a new way to see things. 

Because honestly, it's the only way to stay sane sometimes.

The quote {challenge}, suggests that we find beauty and get a new set of eyes when dealing with the mundane, 

dreadful,

painful,

and dismal.

It's remarkable what a new set of eyes can do.