HOW WIDE AND LONG AND HIGH AND DEEP IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST!

This week just somehow got away from me and I can't believe it is Sat. morning again. AND! almost Valentine's Day as well. Seems like I just got settled into winter, and spring is around the corner...time just has a way of moving on. Anyway, I am not even really certain what it is I have actually even been on this week. Let's see... I guess I should start with Monday so that I can tell you about George! He and his 2 male assistants are the new and WONDERFUL cleaning crew that Kristi from Rush Hour told me about and I was fortunate enough to get to come to my house! What a wonder he was...I knew I would love him when he walked through my house before he even began (to give me an estimate on what he would charge) and ran his finger over the top of the ceiling fan in the family room and said, "We better get this!" My home has not been cleaned this well since Nina....I was almost giddy. The 3 of them worked for almost 3 hours (which equates to 9 hours of course) and was fairly sparkling when they left. Blinds, baseboards, ceiling fixtures, and moving furniture was great, but when they (the REALLY young guy) got down on his hands and knees to scrub every square inch of my tile (and I have a TON of it) I was sold completely! I will admit when I heard it was a crew of men, I had my doubts, but not anymore. They were wonderful! And being men they easily moved furniture, reached "out of reach" for most women things, and had lots of strength scrubbing. On top of all of this, they were such nice guys. AND!! for the final icing, they are 25.00 dollars cheaper than the lousy cleaning crew I had the time before...SIGH....I am soo pleased by all of this...Does that seem ridiculous? A clean house is important to me (for some reason) and I have been most frustrated. THANK YOU Kristi for this wonderful find. Tues. I spent at my mom's as always. I took her to therapy (only 2 visits left ~ she is doing SOOO well) and then we lunched and ran her errands. The days have become somewhat routine with her, and yet there is comfort in the familiar, do you know what I mean? Enjoyed the day as always. Wed. I went to Jenny Craig (another 1.4 making my GRAND total 10 and half) then I ran my errands and finished off the day getting my hands AND feet done. I don't get many pedi's in winter time I will confess and my poor toes were in such a sad state. Thursday I headed down to Newport to address my grey roots (it takes sooo much maintence to keep me even half way presentable anymore, haha) and get my mop cut. I have gone a "little" darker but still have the blonde highlights, AND cut a good 3 more inches of the length. I love to change things up occasionally and Jessie is always soo good at helping me out. I enjoy my visits with her soo much. She is a funny, sweet girl and we hashed Mel's pregnancy to our little heart’s content. She already has BIG plans for a baby shower for her....soo fun. Friday found me doing laundry, working in my workbook for Made to Crave (such a good book!) and LOTS of talking on the phone. When you have 4 kids, 2 dil's, 3 sisters, 8 grandkids, 2 special girlfriends, and a mom, there is ALWAYS someone who has something that needs to be hashed over, haha. My son Jimmy and his wife Larissa left this morning for Costa Rica where they are taking the high school group on a missions trip. I am excited for Larissa as this is the first trip like this she has been able to go on since having their family. I would appreciate any prayers for them as they are away...not only for their safety and the success of the trip, but for my precious grandkids as well who will be spending this week with their other grandparents. I am sure that grandma will have her hands VERY full (the kids are 2, 4, and 6 ~ don't have to say more) and I have offered my assistance should she need it. This morning my hubby Jeff had to go to work and help move the office to their new location. (thus my being able to write a Sat. morning post) I am hoping it doesn't take too long as we have some things I want to get done before playing cards with my parents tonight. Mom had other plans for Friday night so we are changing it up some this week. = )


I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about what I should (or shouldn't) write about for Valentine's Day. I thought about just reposting my post from last year but that seemed lazy and somewhat pointless, and yet my thoughts have been soo similar to then. I LOVE this holiday (though I have planned and done almost NOTHING to prepare for it this year ~ as I mentioned earlier it just sort of snuck up on me) and it is too late to even get Valentine cards in the mail to my grandkids. I know of course that the retail world pushes this holiday to make their money, and yet it doesn't stop me from loving it. And while the majority of the world thinks of this day as a time to celebrate "romantic" love (which IS a wonderful thing to celebrate!) I like to focus on LOVE for not only my hubby, but for all of those in my life who bring me joy. And at the top of that list is my love for the Lord of course. His love for us is perfect, for He IS love...I came across this verse this week and it has always been one of my favorites and just soo fits for Valentine's....

Ephesians 3 17-19 "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

God’s love is wide enough to include every person.


God’s love is long enough to last through all eternity.


God’s love is deep enough to reach the worst sinner.


God’s love is high enough to take us to heaven.

The love of Jesus has width. You can see how wide a river is by noticing how much it covers over. God’s river of love is so wide that it covers over my sin, and it covers over every circumstance of my life, so that all things work together for good. When I doubt His forgiveness or His providence, I am narrowing the mighty river of God’s love. His love is as wide as the world: For God so loved the world (John 3:16) The love of Jesus has length. When considering the length of God’s love, ask yourself “When did the love of God start towards me? How long will it continue?” These truths measure the length of God’s love. Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) The love of Jesus has depth. Philippians 2:7-8 tell us how deep the love of Jesus goes: but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. You can’t go lower than the death of the cross, and that is how deep the love of Jesus is for us. The love of Jesus has height. To see the height of God’s love, ask yourself, “How high does it lift me?” It lifts me to heavenly places where I am seated with Christ. He has raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6). I read this quote and it just soo blessed me..

To be filled with God is a great thing; to be filled with the fullness of God is still greater; but to be filled with all the fullness of God utterly bewilders the sense and confounds the understanding.” (Clarke)

Sorry this is soo long, that is what happens when you only post twice a week, haha...My prayer is that you would all know and experience that love that Jesus has for us. Have a WONDERFUL week-end, and a joyous Valentine's Day!

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