It is such a blessing to be partnered with someone who has so many direct experiences of God’s presence that they naturally and simply express that presence themselves.

The other day, Annie and I were walking Mozey, our miniature poodle, down a dirt road near our farm. We spotted two large, stray dogs in a field of cows to the side of us. One of the dogs spotted us, growled and started to charge the fence. I immediately went into aggressive male territorial mode rapidly approaching the fence staring him down. He froze, looking at me. Annie said, “I wouldn’t do that.” “Why not?” I asked. “If he gets out of the fence, you don’t want to make an enemy out of him.” I wasn’t sure how Annie thought I should handle it but I quickly found out.

A few minutes later, the dog slipped through a break in the fence and came towards us. Annie stepped lightly to the side, looked at him and said, “What a good dog!” His posture went immediately from aggressive to rubbing up against Annie’s legs, wagging his tail and smiling at her. Annie looked at me and said, “You just have to help him remember that he’s a good dog. He forgot for a moment.”

We talked about this for the rest of our walk. Annie equated it to the seeming difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament was often us seeing God as behaving as I originally did with the dog, being threatening to try to change the dog’s behavior.  In the New Testament, we moved on to the “good dog theory”. Through Jesus, God reminds us how God created us, how we can be and are when we don’t forget for a moment (or longer).

I am so grateful for the little epiphanies, I get from my bride. Later that night I asked Annie, “Why does God love us so much?” She replied, “Why not?”

Read Genesis 1:1 – 31 and remember that God loves you unconditionally!

Today’s reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A+1-31&version=NRSV