TOEDOE: THE WONDER DOG
Toedoe is a cute little medical dog owned by Rose who has a severe immune deficiency disease that often tortures her whole body and ensures that she is confined to a wheel chair. Over the years, I regularly visit Rose and Toedoe loves me because I feed her little doggie treats and because I always hold Rose's hand as I pray for her to stop her crying. If my prayers fail to stop her from crying, little Toedoe groans and gives me a stern stare as if to ask why I wasn't doing my job as comforter that day! I have never seen a bond between dog and mistress as intimate as that between Rose and Toedoe. Toedoe is now over 12 and when that littel dog dies, Rose will take it as if she has just lost her daughter. Here are 3 of my favorite Toedoe stories:
(1) Rose was driving her wheel chair with Toedoe riding on top to our local Wal-mart. When they entered the Wal-mart, Rose encountered a lady leaving whom she didn't know. Now Toedoe often whimpers, but she almost neve barks, and yet, she began barking furiously when she encountered this stranger. Then someone who knew Rose, told the woman, "Toedoe is a medical dog; so you better see a doctor at once and have yourself checkout out just in case Toedoe is barking for a good reason!" Later that evening, a nurse called Rose from our nearby hospital emergency room. She told Rose, "I'm not supposed to do this because of HYPPA laws, but I just had to tell you that your little dog just saved that lady's life!"
(2) As a pastor, I used to pray for the sick after church. One Sunday Dorla came forward for prayer before Rose arrived with Toedoe atop her wheel chair. As I began praying for Dorla, little Toedoe was incensed and barked furiously because she has no concept of "Wait your turn" and was indignant that I didn't give Rose top priority. I apologized to Dorla, who just smiled understandingly, and I laid hands on Rose in prayer. Toedoe whimpered her approval.
(3) One Communion Sunday, Rose came forward with Toedoe atop her wheel chair to receive the bread and the Communion Cup. When I gave Rose her Communion wafer, Toedoe noticed that the wafer looked like the doggie treats I used to give her and expected to be served after Rose. When I didn't give her one, she looked at me with disappointment and whimpered her disapproval. So I thought to myself, "Maybe next time I should put a doggie treat on the Communion tray for Toedoe. Then God showed His sense of humor by immediately reminding me of Jesus' saying, "Don't give what is holy to the dogs (Matthew 7:6)!" I protested, "But Lord, I don't think Jesus had in mind a cute little dog like Toedoe when He said that."