Welcome to the new term and the beginning of 2020. My sabbatical has ended and I am no longer a hallucination: the man you saw who wasn’t there. Returning to my fully embodied state feels pretty good and I’m looking forward to meeting those I haven’t met and catching up with everyone else. I’ve spent the past few months writing about evil and trying to calm the boisterous heart of a new family member. Albert is a fawn Great Dane that I hope you’ll get to meet sooner or later. Like all Great Danes, Albert shows signs of God’s special grace that exempts him from most of the vices that weary our fallen condition. His heart is pure, though squirrels, our cat, and sundry other livestock dispute this (but you know what cats are like). Also on the doggie front, Olga the dachshund puppy has taken on Natasha the tutor and looks like she’s enjoying the training. We’re waiting to introduce her to Albert until she’s a little bigger, right at the moment, she’d fit in his mouth and still leave room for vegetables. At some time, I hope to tell you what I’ve learned about the devil and, more importantly, about God, who is infinitely more interesting. In the meantime, Happy New Year!