Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. Jeremiah 17:14
After a week of being in the hospital, we were able to come home! My son was healed without surgery. He had a perforation in his intestine and it would have been a major, difficult surgery if it needed to be repaired. God is good! We found out on Good Friday that the hole had sealed off. Not only were we thankful for all Jesus did for us many years ago, we were extremely grateful for answered prayers.
I have one more story from the hospital. We’d been receiving visitors of the furry kind around there. These dogs had been certified as therapy dogs. Their owners brought them into the hospital with the hope of putting a smile on a child’s face. There was a great range in type of dog, size of dog, and personality of dog.
All the pets were calm and quiet in the hospital, but they each related to the patients very differently. If you knew what clues to look for, you were able to see how comfortable the dog was in his position. The connection, or lack thereof, between patient and therapy dog is also an interesting sight.
It was fascinating to be standing on the side of a patient instead of seeing things as a handler. I’ve taken classes with my pup that would prepare for therapy dog testing. I was using those classes more for obedience and exposure to many different situations rather than training for a therapy program; however, I was able to learn quite a bit about therapy work along the way.
We had a couple dogs that were a bit disengaged but did the basics of what they were supposed to do. Let’s say…they tolerated the attention, but just didn’t seem thrilled to be there. The others were all nice, could do some tricks, and did their jobs well.
There was one outstanding dog that I believe had the instinct, that innate ability to connect to a patient and recognize the importance of her job. She wasn’t the most experienced and didn’t have all the tricks, but she simply was the most focused on her patient.
She put her front paws on the bed, looked adoringly with soft eyes at my son, and promptly lifted one paw up for a belly rub. She stood like that with a focused attention that impressed me tremendously. The happiness radiated off her and there was a connection made.
I asked her owner about her behavior because her breed is known for their high energy and the need to keep their minds occupied. Since she was so young and calm, I thought she went against the normal breed standards. All I saw was her instincts to give of herself in the gentlest way possible.
Her owner was very young too, but seemed to have a natural, relaxed control. She told me that the dog I was seeing and the dog she was at home are totally different. She had the typical border collie energy at home, but as soon as she walked in those hospital doors, she knew she was working. I was amazed at the professional she became.
I found out those instincts kicked in for the first time when her owner’s grandfather was around. The granddaughter was worried about her pup’s exuberance and was concerned about her being too rambunctious; however, that pup took one look at Grandpa and let her energy seep out of her to slowly approach him with an amazing gentleness that went against her normal actions. That’s special!
There was one more dog that stood out from the rest. He was a smaller dog that got right up onto the bed with my son. He was hilarious without meaning to be! He was doing his job but found himself getting a little sleepy.
On one hand, my oldest can be crazy with his littermate (our pup) at home. On the other hand, he can make our pup drop off to sleep with a little massage between the eyes. He put his hands to work and that little dog couldn’t help himself. He started going in circles to find the perfect spot to curl up in the covers.
Figuring it was his turn to be taken care of, that dog looked at my son and seemed to be relieved to not have to work for a few minutes. He received that massage in bliss and promptly fell asleep. His owner was a little horrified that he was sleeping on the job! My son loved that special time with a relaxed dog that allowed him to give a little instead of just taking all the love that he had been receiving from others.
When it was time to go, the owner tried to get him up. The look he gave her made me chuckle out loud. It was as if he was saying, “You go ahead and finish the visits. I’m just fine right here; you don’t have to worry about me.” Finally, his training kicked in, and he decided he didn’t have a choice other than to leave the comfy bed he found.
I had two things that really stood out to me with these very different dogs. First, I want to be like the dog that brings happiness and peace by simply connecting with a human being. I want to be present and focused on God so that He can give me the instincts and gentleness to help another person. I don’t want to be disengaged where I’m just going through the motions.
Second, I like to be the one to help others. It feels unnatural to be the one who accepts help from those that I’m not closest to. That week in the hospital taught me to be on the receiving end of the kindness being handed out. Just like that little dog allowed my son to simply be there for him, I needed to let others be there for us. I saw how much joy it gave to my son to be the giving end. It was special for him to be the one to relax that dog and make it feel comfortable.
What my son gave was just a tiny fraction of what he got out of it. If I wouldn’t have accepted from others because of pride, I realized how they would lose the blessings from giving. I had to graciously accept the kindness and not let it stop with me. I could pass it on when I see a need I can fill. I didn’t feel guilt like I would’ve in the past because I recognize that no one can outgive God! I fully believe that those who were so wonderful to us will be paid back in interest for their kindness.
I challenge you to be God’s hands, voice, joy, gentleness, and peace for someone today. On the flip side, I challenge you to receive with just as much excitement as you do when giving to others. Praise God for all givings and blessings. When healing is received, remember to go back and thank the Lord. Check out Luke 17:11-19… We thank the Lord for my son’s healing!
