Our Dog’s “Miracle” Healing

After church last Wednesday evening, I was playing with Willow, our 2-year-old shepherd, when she suddenly grabbed the 12” x 12” cotton handkerchief on which she was tugging and gulped it down. It was gone! Immediately she knew that something was wrong and became very docile.

I frantically called to my husband, who tried to make her vomit, but to no avail. The picture was very disconcerting. Thoughts about the complications of this situation bombarded me, and I was terribly upset with myself for allowing it to occur. I promised to call the vet in the morning if nothing had changed and went off by myself to pray.

At first it seemed almost ludicrous to mentally contradict what happened right before my eyes. I saw it. She swallowed it. That was that! But I felt so fearful that I persisted until I sensed something spiritual, peaceful. I thought of the Old Testament story when Elisha’s disciples accidentally gathered poisonous gourds for their stew and cried out to him that there was death in the pot. Elisha didn’t throw out the stew, he leavened it with meal and continued serving it to them - with no ill effects (II Kings 4).

I also remembered where Jesus said what goes into the mouth does not defile (Matthew 15:10); and that “if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them” (Mark 16:18); and lastly, from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, “A spiritual idea has not a single element of error, and this truth removes properly whatever is offensive” (p. 463:12). These ideas came to me, rapid fire. I felt calm and assured and went to bed.

Thursday morning there was no change, so I left a message for the vet. Not knowing the particulars, the vet got back to us and said that often foreign objects will pass through a dog of her size and just to monitor her. I was grateful there was no mention of surgery. But the object didn’t pass through —that day, or Friday.

Friday evening I stayed home and prayed. I just cherished every Christly idea that came to me until I felt completely at peace; until every thought was brought “into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:5).

Saturday morning my husband called me into the laundry room. Willow had coughed up the handkerchief sometime during the night — no kibble or undigested dog food – just the handkerchief. He said it was a miracle.

I am so grateful for how we can learn about our Father-Mother God’s tender care for us through Christian Science.

A teleconferencer