Horse Doctor

What does Dr. Tina do? She invites me into her save-the-animals-from-the-monster world.

One day we play around the Christmas tree, saving animals that the monster has bitten. There are puppies, kitties and horses. We foray out, fetch a wounded animal, or two, or three, or seven and gently bring them to safety. There are mommies, daddies and babies among the wounded, and we help family members and friends find each other in the kitchen and under the tree.

We take the long red Fiddlestix™ out and fight the monster, and then dispense first aid in the field. Tina uses the large TV remote, a little strip of plastic and a Ronald McDonald cup, and I operate the teddy bear. Teddy pats the victim and speaks words of comfort. Dr. Tina “reads” a short string of medication numbers from the remote, twists her R McD cup over the wound, and applies the plastic strip. Then we take the animal under the tree to recuperate with the others.

Sometimes she consults her “horse doctor” manual, a little purple hardcover book that’s just the right size for a four-year-old medic’s hands.

We used to play with the firemen puzzle—but putting the pieces in the holes was just putting the puzzle away. The rest of the time, we used the firemen as characters in our game of rescuing cats, dogs, a giraffe, and snakes from the burning building.

I like to imagine what Tommy and Tina might do when they grow up. I wonder if Tommy will be in involved in research or leadership, putting his fine analytical and verbal skills to good use. I used to imagine Tina as a mechanical engineer, but now I wonder if she’s preparing for a career in medicine or disaster relief. Whatever they do, I pray that they will walk in God’s path for their lives.

“You are the one who put me together inside my mother’s body, and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me.” Psalm 139: 13, 14 (Contemporary English Version)