Oct 19 & 20th's Trailride was a great success

[Cheryl Carter]

This past weekend TC Ranch & Trail Of Life Cowboy Church had a camp out,trail ride,entertainment, & just good cowboy dutch oven cooking. Please enjoy our pictures of good fellowship & fun. Our ranch is open to churches & christian groups that would like to ride on a 600+ acre working ranch.

[Cheryl Carter]

For years I have written songs & cowboy poetry, Tom loved everything I wrote. Then sometime after he died, God gave me the inspration to honor Tom with many poems. This is one of them.

 

It was a Tom Carter Funeral

There in the chapel Tom Carters family sat

Over 400 people came to pay their respect

At the foot of his casket was a stand with his saddle

There were rope marks on the horn from years of tying off cattle

At his shoulder was a barrel with barley & wheat

From seed he had planted that fall for his livestock to eat

A wreath at his head held his rope & his spurs

In my mind I could see him ridding Old Doc, close behind a Gyp & his Kur

The music that played reflected the joys of his life

Country & Christian recorded by his Son, Daughter & Wife

The preacher & a close friend told of Tom's 78 years

Of his generosity, & honesty through their laughter & tears

Many happy & wonderful stories, were told that day from the past

There were stories of deer & hog hunts that made even the saddest laugh

There were so many folks at the service that came from every walk

As they filed out the chapel doors they began to gather & talk

I believe this is the best funeral, a cowman began to say

And when it comes my time to go, I'd like to be sent off this way

You know I counted 96 pictures that flashed across the Chapel screen

And I don't believe there was a one that old Tom wasn't wearing jeans

No Tom wasn't fancy he lived everyday pretty much the same

But I can say, the lives that he touched. Tom didn't live in vane

There were mourners dressed in their finest, others in overalls & jeans

The service brought them to laughter at times, then their tears started to stream

I don't know of many people, that I can say I never herd a bad word about

Though I doubt Tom ever knew it, He truly made his life count

Yes It was a Tom Carter Funeral and it won't be forgotten soon

And the seeds of life lessons he planted, forever will they bloom

By Cheryl Carter for my Beloved husband, Tom

[Cheryl Carter]

TC Ranch is 18 miles N.W. of Cleveland TX. It was my husband's family ranch. Est. in 1915.Tom & I was looking forward to celebrating the ranch's 100 birthday. Sadly The Lord took Tom home March 16th 2012. Through good friends, my church & Jesus I am continuing to run the ranch & have guests to the ranch. I would be honored to have you & your husband come & ride any time.I have listened to his prayers & preaching many times on this site.It would be great to have a trail ride & campfire preaching. Truly I am honored to call you (dear Sandra) my friend. I have 2 web sites one for grief counseling & the ranch, www.refugeinthenight.org  & www.tcranch.net