Today it was my turn to be eager. After last time, I wanted to see Jesus and to experience the connection again. I had planned my day and when the time came, I spoke to Penny who was sound asleep. But the moment she was awake, she knew and ran to get the leash. Out we went and quickly found our way. 

Stepping inside, I slipped off my shoes, which would become my routine. I closed my eyes and simply breathed in and out letting the energized air replace and cleanse. Penny was doing the same until our buddies arrived. I let her go and the greeting ceremonies commenced. I chuckled with delight and then heard his deep chuckle joining with mine. I looked down the path and he was there striding towards us. When she caught his scent, Aslan and Bear were forgotten in her run and leap into his arms. “I wish I could do that,” I thought, forgetting that he could hear.

 “But you do with your heart. It leaps towards me with a pure desire to connect to my love.” 

“I am feeling shy because of my struggling last time and because I know you don’t need me to speak to hear me. I feel exposed.”

“Come and see your surprise.”

We all trooped down the path, followed him to the Pond Place and settled down. All except for Penny who had to greet all the frogs first. Little woofs, play growls, and happy noises as she checked with first one and then the other. 

Penny is a 15-pound Cockapoo, daughter of Pogo my daughter’s dog. She is five and has hair the colors of pennies—brand new golden to almost worn old black—with dark brown eyes. She loves the games of Get the Kleenex Out of Mom’s pocket, Get the Crinkly Paper Out of the Wastebasket, and other grab and run games. She has had the pleasure of capturing birds and bugs that have flown in the house. On her first birthday it was a swallow, and then I learned she is really a bird dog. She has a soft mouth and did not harm them. Except the bugs which she ate. 

This time it was a medium sized brownish-green frog. She caught it and came over to me to show off her catch. “Penny, leave it,” I ordered. Nothing. Brown eyes stared. Having a wiggling croaking frog in her mouth cracked me up. She looked so serious, but so silly. Loved it. The frog did not. Jesus made a soft noise, and she brought it to him and laid it gently in his outstretched hand. He is really the boss around here. The frog hopped away and back to the water. Plunk, in it went with Penny watching it go. She came over and lay down next to Aslan. I smiled at them, contented. I felt him smiling too. 

This non-verbal talking is so easy and natural, until I think about it. I have long known that there are no secrets hidden from God, he knows everything. But this experiencing it is a horse of different color. What I was coming to cherish was hearing him. And some were not words, like experiencing his smile when I was not looking at him. Weirdly wonderful.

To my right I heard some movement. Penny was on the alert and was almost to her feet when I sensed him saying to her, “stay.” She settled back but remained alert. Watching her nose and ears told me that she was smelling something new. The movement got stronger and louder. Aslan looked nonplused but Bear was watching closely. 

Out of the brush stepped Cloud, the beautiful white stallion that roamed the wild lands of Montana. I jumped up in amazement and delight. I ran over and put my arms around his neck. “Cloud, I am so happy to see you. Thank you for coming,” I said. 

“I summoned him knowing you would be pleased,” I heard. 

“Yes, you knew,” I acknowledged.

“Penny,” I called, “come.” 

She bounded over and I picked her up. “This is a horse,” I told her. She reached her head out to smell, and I stepped closer. Nose to nose, they got acquainted. I set her down and she circled, sniffing, a few times then went off to play with Aslan’s tail. This creature could not come down to her level. 

But I was just the right height for Cloud to look into my eyes and give a small snort of hello. We had never met but I knew of him from the PBS program Nature. I stroked his face, velvet nose—it really does feel like a rich velvet—and mane. His hide was coarse and prickly, not soft like Bear or Aslan, and the hair in his mane was thick and stiff. I could see why people would use it for stitching up hides, wounds, and leather. To me horses are creatures that are mis-designed. They have huge, strong, muscular bodies and skinny legs. How they can run and carry so much weight has always been a mystery to me. 

Jesus came up beside me and I could “see” Cloud’s frame. “The reason they can do so much is because of their bone structure. You see the muscles and girth, but the bones are what do all the work. The muscles and sinews hold the bones together. They are broad across so they can make a man or a load comfortable. A brilliant design, I believe. One of my best.” He chuckled and without any warning, lifted me on Cloud’s back. 

Penny barked at that, me way up on the back of this thing called horse. So, she was lifted up into my arms. “Let’s take a ride.” Just as I was wondering what he was going to ride a mare stepped out of the woods. Jesus easily mounted her, and he made a chucking sounds and Cloud moved off with them following. The mare was spotted or blotched with big patches of grey and black on a white background. Cloud’s mare. I named her Storm. 

We turned left at the crossroads just past the Pond and ambled into a new area. It was a meadow, with a small hill of rocks. There was a stream that moved on to the Pond. Cloud and Storm walked to the water’s edge and bent down for a drink. I gasped and grabbed the mane, feeling like I was going to tumble over his head. “Lean back,” came the instruction. I did, gingerly letting go of his mane, and felt more stable until he lifted his head. Then I had to lean the other way. Penny seemed to know that she had to be calm and lay still in my arms. The horses then walked through the water and into the forest on the other side. Aslan and Bear followed. The frogy sounds faded.

As we meandered along, I ducked branches, gradually becoming accustomed to the rhythm of his walk. It was soothing and pleasant. I became aware of the forest sounds and scents. Penny was using her nose, and her ears were up as she took in the newness of it all. 

“I like your surprise, Lord.” 

He grinned. This time I saw him. “Still think horses are mis-designed?”

“Nope, this one is very comfy. If I were sitting on his spine, it would not feel that way. And he certainly seems able to carry my weight.” I remembered how I watched him gallop on the program. Mane and tail flying. I loved watching him run free on the hills. I can’t imagine being on his back, or any horse for that matter, when they run that way. I admire riders who can. Good balance and strong legs! 

I don’t know how long we road or where. The forest all seemed alike, but I didn’t mind, the riding was soothing. I could feel his muscles working under my butt and legs. There was a rhythm that began to pace my breathing. All so natural and real. Yes, real. And happily so. 

We came out of the woods by the pond, going through the little opening where Penny and I found the toads. Cloud and Storm stopped and rippled their skin. A signal to slide off. I landed, released Penny, and got my walking legs back. My rump felt sore from being in contact with his. I turned and hugged him goodbye. This amazing white horse. Few of them around. He and Storm whinnied, turned, and disappeared back the way they came. I wondered where they live.

Walking over to Jesus, I gave him a hug. “Not feeing shy and vulnerable now are you,” he shared. 

“Not a bit,” I responded. “Your surprise connected me. Nothing like a ride on the beautiful horse of my memories to connect me with reality. My bum will remember all the rest of the day!”

Aslan and Bear waked to the path, and I followed with Penny at my side. At the entrance, I turned around to say a last goodbye, and they were all gone. But I felt Jesus’s smile. We went home grateful.