The miracle of loving.

Early this morning, while I was grinding the coffee, my five year old daughter was lieing on the floor next to our sheltie.

They were face to face, belly to belly, and both of them were grinning those goofy grins you only see on the faces of dogs and their people.

Watching them for a moment, I commented to my prostrate daughter, "Boy, you sure are loving on that dog this morning."

"Oh no Mommy" my daughter replied, "Lily's loving on me!"

Silly me! I had it all backwards!

I thought my daughter was pouring out her love to the dog (and she was); but her experience in that moment was the experience of being loved in return.

And do you know what?

I think in some strange way, I saw an eternal truth being lived out on my kitchen floor this morning.

I think that when we love with such abandon and with such joy, our experience isn't one of giving; but rather, it is one of receiving! Somehow, in some mysterious way, when we love well, we experience ourselves being loved.

It's a strange thing.

It's a wonderful thing.

It's a God thing.

And I for one, thank God for this miracle of loving.