Stephen C. McKinney Memorial Thread (1969-2001)

[Menolly]

Ah, the sound of little Furls pattering around the Watch...lovely!

Just you wait; Stevie may join.
It will not be soon...but in the fullness of time.

Not to mention Chelsea and Imani and...
...I always loose count somewhere...

[Angel Daughter]

There are quite a few of us. As Brooke says, we are Mom's legacy and we plan on carrying on her work here. All of us.

She left things in very good hands.

I had an absolutely beautiful dream of her about a week ago. It was just her and I, and we sat on a large rock near a river. We were both soaking our feet. And I said to her. "I miss you, Mom. We all miss you. Why couldn't you stay with us?"

She smiled at me. "What makes you think I am still not there? I may not be there in that body, the one that limited me from going where I needed to go. But, I am there with you at school, I am there with Brooke at school, and I am there at home, with your father, sisters and brothers. I am everywhere always." She pointed at the water, the river had gone still. "See?"

I looked at our reflections, and her face superimposed itself over mine. I was flooded with her spirit then. I woke up smiling, at peace. I feel her inside me and all around me. My mother is with us all.

[Fire Daughter]

We McKinney-Hammon offshoots may just over run the Watch in the near future.

You never know, with Stevie being the way he is, he may be on alot sooner than anyone thinks.

I had an absolutely beautiful dream of her about a week ago. It was just her and I, and we sat on a large rock near a river. We were both soaking our feet. And I said to her. "I miss you, Mom. We all miss you. Why couldn't you stay with us?"

She smiled at me. "What makes you think I am still not there? I may not be there in that body, the one that limited me from going where I needed to go. But, I am there with you at school, I am there with Brooke at school, and I am there at home, with your father, sisters and brothers. I am everywhere always." She pointed at the water, the river had gone still. "See?"

I looked at our reflections, and her face superimposed itself over mine. I was flooded with her spirit then. I woke up smiling, at peace. I feel her inside me and all around me. My mother is with us all.

As Mom would say: "Glorious."

Love you sis!

[wboykin]

Wonderful to see your postings! Welcome!

[Avatar]

We McKinney-Hammon offshoots may just over run the Watch in the near future.

As long as you all read the Chrons...



--A

[Fire Daughter]

We McKinney-Hammon offshoots may just over run the Watch in the near future.

As long as you all read the Chrons...



--A

Well, I have read them. Jordan has read the Chrons and the Gap books. Heidi isn't much of a reader, so she hasn't. Tristan is reading the Chrons right now. Micah and Ryan are too much into all things Guitar Hero and Rock Band (Jordan too). Chels and Imani are into Twilight, Harry Potter and Narnia. And the little ones love Dr. Seuss and refuse to read anything else.

Stevie, well Stevie draws pictures. And, like his namesake he reads the Bible. It is uncanny how much like Uncle Stephen he is. He becomes more and more like him every day. The things he says, he blows our minds, even though we expect it from him, he still leaves us awestruck at times. When I got home the other night he ran up to me and said. "Brookie, I saw you in the rain, I saw you fall down and I saw the Angel take your arm. The Angel came back to me then and smiled." Now, yes, I did slip and fall in rain at school one day a couple of weeks ago. My arms were full of books and they went flying. I put one of my arms out to break the fall, but at the last minute, it was as though I was turned and instead of falling on my side, I fell on my back. If I had fallen on my arm, it would have been broken I'm sure. And I did feel a presence grip me and then leave me.

God only knows what Stephen Isaiah will become, but if his first five years are any indication, he will surpass us all. In many ways, he already does.

So, it is Valentine's Day. And for my father this day is one of reflection and sorrow. He misses Mom with an ache that crushes him at times. He has been reading through her writings and pouring over their wedding album. In the album was this: A poem she wrote to him for their wedding day.

For my life's love, Russell. On the day of our union.

Of love we hold for us
Souls bound eternally
Lest it all pass from the world
We shall rise and dance entwined in Heaven
Our love, ours blessed, ours avowed before the Host
And God gifted me with you
Granted, bestowed
Were I of blindness
Not beholding of the glorious
Struck dumb by such beauty
I would be unworthy of you
Ah, but my heart is full
My soul sings to yours
And now
we vow
our love for each other
Before the Host
Before those we hold most dear
We shine in the Light of Him
As I kiss you below His outstretched arms
I hear the voices of Angels singing
I feel the Breath of their sighing
And I bask in the glory of our love
On this day, I thee wed.--ST(Tracie) McKinney

I was asked what the "ST" stood for. Mom was baptized Soibhan Toireasa McKinney. It was her legal name. But, my grandparents and other family members called her "Tracie" from the time she was a little girl, so that is what she usually went by and how most people knew her.

And as she would say, "Sweet peace, sweet grace, God bless."

Happy Valentine's Day to all here who celebrate it.

[Worm of Despite]

We McKinney-Hammon offshoots may just over run the Watch in the near future.

Maybe a McKinney-Hammon forum will be required...

[Angel Daughter]

Brooke is right, I'm not much of a reader. At least not a fiction reader. I'm more of a math/science research reader. I'm alot like my Dad in that way.

But, being here now, and reading all that Mom had to say about different authors, well it makes me regret that I haven't been. I just took all that about her for granted. I never truly realized what joy it actually brought her. Brooke understood, of course, because it brings her the same joy.

Mom always told me that I was special in that I would become a great scientist some day, maybe even help in finding a cure for AIDS. I was always leaning toward veterinarian medicine, but now. Well, now, AIDS and Cancer research seem to beckoning to me. It may be that my true path lies in that direction. Mom's passing seems to be a catalyst for me, it shattered a wall that blocked me from seeing my true self.

Your mind is extraordinary my sweet Heidi. One day, you will be a major contributor in many medical breakthroughs. I can see it.

I think I see it now too, Mom.

[Skyweir]

We McKinney-Hammon offshoots may just over run the Watch in the near future.

How 'glorious' to have such an awesome part of Tracie at the Watch!! Bless you both!

You bare a rich legacy and she has pased the torch onto you both (or all if the whole lot of óffshoots ... over run the Watch!!!

and it makes missng her much less painful ...
I want to hug you both

[Fire Daughter]

Huggles Sky!

It would have made Mom so happy to see you agian. I'm sure she is smiling.

[Edge]

This is a portrait of Tracie, done at Brooke's request. I hope it touches your heart, as much as painting it did mine. What a truly beautiful person, and what a privilege it is for me to try to portray her.

[aliantha]

Nice job, Edge. Just beautiful.

[Fist and Faith]

Niiice!

[Fire Daughter]

Breath-taking. It stopped my heart when I first saw it. Edge, you are amazing.

[Harley Guy]

I thought the portrait Edge did of my brother in law was astounding. But, this one of Trace, is absolutely amazing. My wife's inner beauty, her inner light captured so perfectly.

Thank you, Brian. As she would say...

"My cup runneth over..."

[Fire Daughter]

Heaven calls to me, the voices sing of peace. I'm downstairs this morning, watching the lights on the Christmas Tree and listening to the singing. And I remember when Stephen was here, and how he sat in the bay window, gazed out across to the treeline.

"Tracie, look...the purity of the whiteness, not a track, not a blemish mars it. The trees are still, as if accepting on to themselves the sweet peace of Heaven as it falls."

And I wrapped my arms around him and watched with him. Tears fell from his eyes unhindered.

"God always knows just how to make me weep." He whispered.

My brother's voice sings peace to me now. "Remember, Tracie? We spoke of the sweet grace as it fell. Let it fall over you. We always knew we would not be long here."

Yes, Stephen...we always knew.

Last night I dreamt of the woods in winter. I walked under the snow laden trees and my feet left no prints. My little brother jumped out from behind one the trees as I walked by it. And I asked him what he was doing out in the forest alone.

"Who says I'm alone?" And he gave me this grin, took my hand and led me through an unusually close cluster of trees. As we broke from them, he let go of my hand and ran through the snow straight into my mother's outstretched arms. She picked him and hugged him. I just stood there and stared because Uncle Steve stood next to her. And they were beyond beautiful. Dressed in garments that took on the light and whiteness of the snow around us. As I stood there, the rest of my family gathered around me, my father, my sisters and brothers, including Zia. And then my grandfather was there, and my grandmother rushed to him.

"See?" Mom said then. Her voice that of crystal clear music. "You are never alone. We are always here. We are always near. In this place, between there and Glorious Heaven, we can come."

"In this place the boundaries do not exist." Uncle Steve said then. "No blemish mars the mantle, no sound disturbs the peace. You can walk here and we will come."

"We will come." Mom smiled and held out her arms to us. We surged to her and I felt her warmth and her strength flood through me as she wrapped her arms around me, us. She could embrace us all at once. It was like being enveloped in Joy. Pure joy. When she released us, she and Uncle Steve turned and pointed. And there, before us, the snow ended, the river appeared and the cottage came into view. And the sweet smell of Jasmine filled the air around us. Zia ran toward it, she laughed and stepped inside. Grandpa smiled at Grandma, then he too walked toward the cottage and stepped inside.

Dad, held unto Mom's hand and she smiled at him.

"I miss you, baby. I'm broken without you." He said to her.

"No. Not broken. You are stronger than that. You are the rock of the family. And you are not without me. Do you not see?"

"I see, baby."

It was then that my alarm went off. But, the memory of it is still so vivid. It was not just a dream. I called my Dad this morning and he told me that everyone in the house had the same dream. In it, Stevie led everyone to the clearing as he did me.

I have never experienced anything as beautiful as that....

[Menolly]

Oh my...
*teary grin*

Thank you for sharing, Brooke.

[Savor Dam]

Wow.

other than that one addition, put me down for the same response as Pam...tear-streaked smile and all.

Amazing and incredibly beautiful.

[aliantha]

Wow. That's just...

Wow.

Thanks, Brooke.

[Fire Daughter]

I didn't mention it, but we were all barefoot and in bed clothes as well. It was like we were roused from sleep and taken there.

Jordan told me he and Micah also saw their mother, Lynne. I did not see her. Chelsea said she saw Isaiah, but he just stood near the cottage door and never came to our gathering. She said he smiled at her. So each of us saw things a little differently.

Dad says he and Mom talked for far longer than I heard. Of course, my alarm woke me up during their conversation. He said she knew how agitated he was over not being able to lay her rest yet. She told him not to worry over such things. She is no longer with her body and the Mountain will welcome her when the time is right, it is not going anywhere. That made him laugh he said.

He saw her fly. Literally fly, before he woke up. She said to him. "We have no idea how glorious God truly is while we walk the world. I have now seen, felt, heard Glory that there are no mortal words for. Of all the beauty there is in the world, nothing touches this." And she flew, Dad said she became light and song and joy.

Mom is an Angel.