Gary's Hunting Song

I dreamed I was with Ed's sister and brother and we were leaving for the airport to fly to another country. I was excited but nervous because I had never flown. On the way to the airport, I remembered I didn't bring my perfume and insisted we go back to get it, which we did. We hurried and made it to the airport on time but were rushed. As I'm quickly walking to my plane, I suddenly realized I hadn't told Gary I was headed out of the country and I needed to tell him this. In my dream, this ache in my chest arose as I recalled I hadn't had contact with him in a long time. I was trying to figure out why on earth we had not talked! The need to do so at that moment was overwhelming. Stopping in my tracks, and looking at my phone, I watched my finger push the numbers of his cell phone and it was the correct number. It rang and rang and all the while it's ringing, my heart is aching with anticipation to talk with him before I leave. That's when I woke up.

I know partly why I had the dream. I have an insatiable need to talk to my son. That desire never goes away. Neither does the desire to mother. The phone ringing and ringing is like the place I am in now - waiting and waiting. While I'm in this waiting period, I want to honor my son's memory, to help someone else in their loss,  point a hurting world to their only hope and true comfort, Jesus.

My son's last fall deer hunt was in 2008. On November 25th of that year, he wrote a song. The song tells how much he loved the sport of deer hunting. After Gary passed away, I gave the words to a singer/songwriter friend and ask if he would create music to the words, so it would become a complete song. Sadly, my friend passed away too.

To honor my son on his 33rd birthday, October 27, I want to share his words because I was/am proud of him and his expression of his love for the sport. I think if he were here reading back over his words, he would chuckle. I also think that if he were here, he would still be hunting and fishing. Gary loved life and he lived a full twenty-two years. For that I am thankful.

Happy birthday in heaven my precious son. I love and miss you with everything in me. This waiting is hard. When I get to heaven, let's sit and talk for a long while. I have so much to say to you.

                                                                   That Ole Tree

 All of us know the hard times at work, but there is a place out there where all your troubles can go away, that all the bad times are put behind you, and the good times are today!!

 Here we go to the place I want to be. I want to be sittin’ in That Ole Tree, waiting to see what I can see, in that frosty cold morning air, work is calling but I don’t care, cause I am sittin’ in That Ole Tree.

 I have a bow in my hand huntin’ on private land.  Can’t wait to see what I can see, sittin, waitin for a Buck in That Ole Tree.  While the buck gets closer my heart beats faster, I’ve shot my bow all summer I should shoot like a master.

 Here we go to the place I want to be. I want to be sittin’ in That Ole Tree, waitin to see what I can see, in that frosty cold morning air, work is calling but I don’t care, cause I am sittin’ in That Ole Tree. 

Here he comes down the trail right to my tree, I pull my bow back and shoot…….I look up at the sky and thank God for the day, cause right below my tree he lay,

 Cause here we go to the place I want to be, I want to be sittin’ in That Ole Tree, waiting to see what I can see, in that frosty cold morning air, work is calling but I don’t care, cause I am sittin in That Ole Tree.