Love

I love you higher than the sky,

Deeper than the sea,

And more than the stars.

I say this to Littlest every night when I put her in her crib.  She knows the words by heart and I love to hear her repeat it back to me each night.  Sometimes the older Littles help tuck their baby sister in and they, too, know the words by heart.

This morning one of the older Littles was feeling sad, and worried about the day ahead at school.  She was weepy and I was at a loss for words to help her.  Words of advice, wisdom, and assurance just weren’t sinking in.  As she cried on my lap, I promised her everything was going to be just fine.  And that I loved her higher than the sky, deeper than the sea, and more than the stars.  She heard the familiar words and perked up.  I had never said them directly to her before.  Oh I know, this could go down a road of favoritism lickity split, but that’s not the case.

I tell each of the Littles in many different ways how much I love them.  Every day.  But, today my sad Little heard my love for her expressed in a new light.  My love has always been there, but the words just made sense to her today.  After a minute or two, she asked me, ‘Mommy did you make up higher than the sky…?’  I told her I wasn’t sure where the words came from exactly, but that they were really an expression of how much God loves each of us.  I told her I try to imagine as high, and as deep, and as many as I can to feel the hugeness of His love.  And guess what? No matter how high, how deep, or how much I can imagine… God loves her, and me, even more!

At this point she chimed in and asked if God loved her pesky, middle sister that much too.  My teaching moment was gone as quickly as it came.  But, she wiped away her tears, bounded off the couch, and moved ahead to school. Smiling!  She felt love and loved.  Not only by me, but more importantly by God, her Heavenly Father.

As we move into this Thanksgiving week, I want you to know how thankful I am for you.  Chances are if you are reading this you are one of the peeps in my village, and my prayer is that you know how much God loves you.   The Maker of Heaven and Earth, The Author of Life, The Alpha and The Omega, The Prince of Peace, The Great I AM, The Lord of Lord, and The King of Kings LOVES YOU.  More than you can possibly imagine.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16