Panda’s Favorite Napping Spot

I am teaching you today—yes, you—so you will trust in the LORD.

BROOKLYN’S CAT PANDA had always loved a good nap. The black-and-white cat could nap anywhere, and often did. Thankfully, living on Brooklyn’s farm provided a variety of available places to snooze—from hay lofts to blueberry bushes, to tractors and overturned buckets. One of Panda’s favorite napping places was on the blankets Brooklyn wrapped around the horses when the temperature dipped below freezing. During the warmer months, she stored the blankets in the feed room. Oftentimes when Brooklyn went inside the feed room, Panda followed her, curled up on one of the blankets, and fell asleep. One day, Brooklyn accidentally locked Panda in the small room, so she wisely taped a note on the door: Check for Panda.

Next to napping—and eating—Panda’s other favorite pastime was watching visitors learn to ride the horses on the equine therapy farm. As a young kitten, Panda often ran away and hid when visitors arrived, unlike her feline brother and sister who would welcome guests. But over time, Panda learned that the visitors meant her no harm. They often just wanted to pet her—or even better, give her treats. Eventually Panda began looking for them at the round pen where children and adults groomed and rode the horses.

Sometimes Panda watched from the top of a nearby picnic table. But other times she would slip into the round pen, climb onto the mounting block, and watch the horses with the visitors on their backs. Several times, Brooklyn observed Panda leaning toward the horse and rider, as if she were studying their form and technique.

One bitterly cold winter day, Brooklyn was refilling the horses’ water trough when she noticed Panda walking along the top of the fence. Her balance never ceased to amaze Brooklyn. But she could never have imagined her surefooted cat’s next move.

PD, Brooklyn’s oldest and most gentle gelding, was standing next to the fence, patiently awaiting a drink of fresh water. The weather report called for possible freezing drizzle overnight, so Brooklyn had wrapped all the horses in their blankets. PD looked particularly handsome in his dark navy-blue coat. As the quarter horse stood with his back end pressed against the fence, Panda extended one front leg toward the horse and touched his blanket. PD didn’t flinch. Panda extended her other front leg and placed it on the blanket.

Brooklyn froze, the hose dangling from her hand, as Panda slowly moved her back legs onto PD and lay down on her favorite napping blanket.

“Oh boy . . .” Brooklyn whispered, unsure of how this was going to end.

Panda’s head shot up as PD moved toward the water trough. Her front claws dug into the blanket. As soon as PD stopped, Panda flung herself at the fence, catching herself with her front legs and swinging for a moment before her back legs could grab on.

Grateful the unintended ride had ended without incident, Brooklyn went back to her chores. She assumed Panda would think twice about napping on a horse again.

But she was wrong.

Panda took advantage of the comfortable spot any time it was available. Over the course of the winter, whenever Panda found PD wearing his blanket and standing next to the fence, she would climb on his back. And the more times she climbed aboard, the more she got used to his movement. By the end of the winter, it wasn’t unusual for Brooklyn to find Panda asleep on PD’s back while the horse slowly made his way around the field.

A sleeping cat. A gentle horse. A beautiful picture of trust.

PAWS & PONDER . . .

Does trust come easily for you? Why or why not? How is trust earned? Do you believe that God is trustworthy? What are some ways he has proven his trustworthiness to you? What do you need to trust him with today?

Paws & Pray

God, I know that you are trustworthy, and yet so often I allow past hurts, doubt, and cynicism to override my trust in you. Retrain me to rely on you. To trust your will, your way, and your timing. Thank you for being a steady, faithful, and compassionate companion.