With fur the color of a Florida beach, we named our Pekingese puppy
“Sandy”. On the drive from Redbank to our home in Collegedale, the
six-week-old puppy cried in my lap. She continued crying through the night.

The next morning my husband and I had to leave for work. Not wanting her to
be alone all day, I put her in my skirt. She was content there.

When full-grown, she liked to be outside. Each morning, she drug her pillow
into the middle of the yard. Sitting on it like a petite princess, she
surveyed the neighborhood.

One day as I was leaving, thunder rumbled in the distance. Terrified of
thunder, she would usually hide under my bed.

On the closed-in porch, I placed Sandy in her cushioned basket. She curled
up in her bed, and I left.

Returning hours later, Sandy was hiding under a wicker stand in the far
corner of the porch. She was wet from the rain and very badly hurt, she couldn’t stand up and she had a look of pain
in her eyes.

The UPS man had left a package on the porch. Sandy must have slipped out the door and been hit by the van.

I wanted to take Sandy to the animal hospital that evening. But my husband
disagreed. “Just leave her alone,” he said. “She will die anyway.”

I called the hospital, and they said the same thing, “Just leave her
alone.”

All the next day, Sandy stayed under the wicker stand. Turning her head
sideways, she refused to drink the water I offered her. Unable to help her, I couldn’t bear
the look of pain in her eyes.

Wondering what to do, I remembered reading that Jesus was the fountain of
healing mercy for the world…little creatures of the groves, the patient
beasts of burden— all were happier for His presence. He…would stop to
relieve a wounded bird. There was nothing beneath his notice, nothing to
which He disdained to minister (DA 74.1)

Boldly, I prayed, “Tonight, will You come, in your unobtrusive way, and pet my little dog,
Sandy, and make her feel better?”

I shut my bedroom door. All night I didn’t go near the porch, so Jesus
could come unobtrusively. When I woke, I opened the door and hurried to the
wicker stand. Sandy wasn’t there. She was curled up in her basket. Whenever
I would open a door, she would always lift her head and look at me. Now she
was so still; I couldn’t see her breathing.

I thought, “Jesus must have put her to sleep in her bed, so she wouldn’t
suffer anymore.” I felt so disappointed, because I was so sure
Jesus would heal Sandy.

Then I noticed half of the water in her dish was gone.

“Sandy!”

She lifted up her head and looked at me. Gone was the look of pain.

“Come here!”

Sandy stretched and walked to me, wagging her tail! Carrying her outside, I
put her down in the yard and watched her run.

I knew that Jesus, the Great Physician, had made a house call!

Did You Know?

• Pekingese have beautiful coats, but they require grooming and regular maintenance.

• The Pekingese has the most Toy Group wins at Westminster.

• These small dogs make wonderful companions and guard dogs.