TITLE: September 14, 2015 Tracks of my father By olivia gates 09/14/15 |
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TRACKS OF MY FATHER
BY OLIVIA GATES
The steps of a man are ordered by the Lord; and he deligheth in his ways (Psalms 37:23) KJV
There is something about walking by myself to my deer stand that stirs up memories of my father. I have been fortunate enough to have a father who provided a good set of boot prints to follow through time. A man who many others followed as well.
By his stable strong relationship with his Lord and Savior, my father led me to know Christ. My father’s word and his handshake were as priceless as a good pack of hunting dogs. His honesty and integrity has far out lived him. The values that he taught us as kids resonates in all our minds and hearts. We as his children still try to please him, even unto death.
Thick woods cover both sides of the old log road to my stand. I see fresh deer tracks in the road. You can tell they are fresh by the dirt beside the tracks. The dirt inside the tracks is moist and sometimes the dirt is even kicked up in front of the tracks. Creatures of habit deer travel the same paths all the time. Sometimes the younger deer tracks are inside the older set of tracks.
I even check for deer tracks when we are running dogs. Each of us has a place on the dirt road, to stand . Checking out the deer tracks on the road, makes the waiting time easier.
After dropping the tailgate, the pack of dogs sniff the ground and search for deer. They sometimes go up into bedding areas of the deer. Deer usually bed down on hill sides or in thick under brush. At times, I have been amazed by crossings on the other side of the road. Some have been up steep inclines, you can tell this by the scraped tracks in the incline dirt.
Now my father’s tracks are just memories, good ones of days gone by. My father went to heaven in October of 2005, that next year I could not hunt for the grief that consumed me.
I now have two grand boys who want to sit with me in my deer stand. I point out the deer tracks on the way to my stand. I show them how to tell if they are fresh or old ones. I’m still walking in my father’s tracks with grandchildren walking in mine. I try in every way possible to show, teach and live my own personal relationship with my Lord and Savior.
(PS Pearls in my stand)
Find someone who walks the walk and talks the talk to follow in their steps. This can be done by observing them in daily life. Listen to what they are saying, and is it truthful and going by God’s word.
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