Stephen C. McKinney Memorial Thread (1969-2001)

[Dromond]

She's also freakishly tall. Like 7 feet! But hey, we don't judge people in the Stephen C thread, so just be nice about it!

Hahaha!
Brings to mind:


William Wallace: "Sons of Scotland! I am William Wallace."
Young Soldier: "William Wallace is seven feet tall!"
William Wallace: "Yes, I've heard.Kills men by the hundreds. And if HE were here,he'd consume the English with fireballs from his eyes...and bolts of lighning from his arse.
I AM William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my Countrymen, here in defiance of tyranny. You've come to fight as free men, and free men you are.What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight?"
Veteran Soldier: "Fight? Against that?" (Superior English army)
"No! We will run...and we will live."
William Wallace: "Aye, fight, and you may die. Run, and you'll live...at least awhile. And dying in your beds, many years from now...would you be willing to trade all the days, from this day to that, for one chance, JUST ONE CHANCE, to come back here and tell our enemies...that they may take our lives, but they'll never take OUR FREEDOM!"

[Savor Dam]

Heh. Furls has had at least a few feet already.

She has more than two feet?

Points for that one, LF. I wanted to go there myself. It reminded me of the time I told a growing young niece that she had grown a foot since I had last seen her and her deadpan answer was "No, I still have the same two feet, Uncle." Hilarity ensued at that holiday table!

[Furls Fire]

*wonders how such morphing happens...*

[Furls Fire]

And yeah Joy, we have a couple of feet... (no feet comments from the gallery ) It started snowing up here around halloween. At least up high where we are. Down in Sisters there isn't any snow at all, at least there wasn't last wednesday when we went through on our way down to the hospital. But we are at 5500 ft., give or take a foot... (Again, no feet comments...) and Sisters is only 3000, I think. Bend is even lower.

Edit: Just looked at the TripCheck road cam for Sisters and it snowed there over night, it's at 3222 ft. And, as the sky lightens toward dawn, I can see that it is snowing more here.

Oh and Fisty, I may be freakish in many ways, but tall is not one of them...hehehehe.

You all are nutty!!

[Stephen C]

December 23, 1998 2:22pm

I’m watching the snow fall today as I sit writing in the big bay window, looking out into the forest that borders Russ and Tracie’s property. Here, the world disappears and Heaven descends to the Earth. All this whiteness, all this serenity, I feel like running from the house naked and rolling in that pure mantle. Ah, and yet, I would disturb its sanctity, its divine beauty, its peaceful hush. A silence settles over the forest as the snow falls, so quiet, you can almost hear each flake touch the mantle and sigh.

God is here, as He is everywhere, but here, at this time, His presence enwraps the house with this pure blanket. And we snuggle together under its warmth, though it be cold in nature, God’s love blazes with ardor and glory. I feel warm. And this house, its walls, its space, its heart, emits the aura of the Lord’s graciousness. All that is here is holy.

I begin missing moments, I find myself thinking in one and then awaken incoherently, grasping and gasping at the knowledge that several have gone by. These moments stolen from me, at a time when they are deemed most precious. I watch the snow fall and realize that as others measure the way of their lives in days, weeks, months, years—I measure mine in hours, minutes, seconds. How close the hours seem to be dwindling down to the final seconds of me.

And now, a holy hush settles over me, and my troubled thoughts of missing moments sigh their way out of my soul’s thinking and I feel His Presence embrace me. Ah, Father, You are here. Here as You are everywhere.

**Same day, or night rather, 10:18pm**

Christmas comes again, in all it’s glory and beauty, and ah, how blessed I am to be here with all my family for another celebration of our Lord and Saviour’s birth. We are, as always, gathered here at Tracie’s house of love. This house of peace and joy and light. This house, which never seems to be crowded or too small, this house where the more people that gather and enter through its doors, the more the walls seem to swell in accommodation. The grace of this house echoes the singing of the children, as their voices praise the coming of Jesus, like the host of angels that proclaimed His coming over 2000 years ago that Holy Night. The walls still vibrate with the memory of that joyous sound. And I hear His words…

“Whenever two or more gather in my name, there I am in their midst..”

Ah, Glory to God in the Highest and Peace, good well toward men! Thank You, Father for allowing me another Christmas. Thank You, Father for the glorious gift that is Your Son. Thank You, Father for my beautiful family. Thank You, Father for my life.

Oh holy night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth
Long lay the world
In sin and error pining
‘til He appeared and the soul felt His worth

A thrill of hope
The weary would rejoices
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees
Oh hear, the angel voices
Oh night, divine
Oh night, when Christ was born
Oh night, divine
Oh night, Oh holy night!

Ah sweet music! My favorite of all Christmas hymns, and the walls still echo with its beauty. In this house of love and light, we welcome Christmas once again.

[Menolly]

My favorite part of the show last night, although this particular performance was recorded elsewhere a couple of years ago, without the singer dressed as a drunk beggar...

The light show and rock music is wonderful, but this has been, and continues to remain my favorite part of the Chr-stmas section of the show, from the first time I saw them.

An Angel Came Down
Trans~Siberian Orchestra

Narrator: In an old city bar
that is never too far
from the places that gather
the dreams that have been

In the safety of night
with its old neon light
it beckons to strangers
and they always come in

And the snow it was falling
the neon was calling
the music was low
and the night Chr-stmas Eve

And here was the danger
that even with strangers
inside of this night
it was easier to believe

For it was in to this bar
that I happened to wander
to stare in to a glass
and my universe ponder

So I walked up to the counter
shook the snow off my coat
then I ordered a whiskey
that I used like a moat

But an old man soon joined me
and asked if I knew the time
one word led to another
and somehow I didn’t mind

Then he offered me a drink
from a bottle ‘neath his coat
and he smiled a little smile
as it trickled down my throat

And I felt myself relaxing
here among the ghosts that failed
then the old man topped my glass off
and he began this little tale

In the moments of our lives
both the joyous and the tragic
if the Truth is to be told
we are all pursuing Magic

And the Magic that we seek
as we’re sure you have discovered
can be found in certain places
far more easily than others

In the sand beneath the Sphinx
in the dreams of candlelight
but the surest place of all
is in the forgiving world of Night

And of all the nights throughout the year
that come and gently leave
none hold the dream of Magic
like the evening, Christmas Eve

And so it’s on this night
with its promise deep within
as the snow now starts to fall
our story does begin

Old Beggar (sung): An angel came down
One night to the earth
A mission from God
To find out the worth

Of everything that
His children had done
Since that winter night
The birth of His son

And then a sound filled the night
In the cold winter air
And in the midst of his flight
It was holding him there

And as he looked toward the earth
For the source of that sound
On that cold winter night
It was pulling him down

To bring something back
This angel was told
That no one could touch
But angels could hold

So on that night
When the sky had cleared
Among all the stars
An angel appeared

And then a sound filled the night
In the cold winter air
And in the midst of his flight
It was holding him there

And as he looked towards the earth
For the source of that sound
On that cold winter night
It was pulling him down

And then a sound filled the night
In the cold winter air
And in the midst of his flight
It was holding him there

And as he looked towards the earth
For the source of that sound
On that cold winter night
It was pulling him down

As aliantha said upthread, as your home prepares to usher in this season of rejoicing...

Merry Christmas, Furls.

[Furls Fire]

Ah glorious! Such beauty! Thank you Pam, not only this amazing post, but for dedicating your avatar to me.

my cup runneth over...

Much love and huggles

[Fist and Faith]

That's a fantastic journal entry. I can see it all so clearly.

That's also my favorite carol. Very powerful!

[Furls Fire]

I've posted that one in here before. A couple of times, I just think it's the perfect one to post at Christmas.

It's my husband's birthday today! And also Tristan's! Happy Birthday to my guys!! Love you both so very very much!!

[Fist and Faith]

Yeah, I thought that post looked familiar. I think I mentioned it being my favorite carol then, too. Heh.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[StevieG]

Happy Birthday!!!

[Fire Daughter]

Happy Birthday Daddy and Tristan!! I love you both!

[Auleliel]

Happy birthday!

[Fire Daughter]

Mom is having a rough time of it today. Spiked a temp earlier this morning and she's in a lot of pain. Not sure why she has such a high fever. Anna drew some blood and Dad took it down to Dr. Liz to run some tests, but we haven't got any results yet.

Keep her in your prayers everyone. Huggles

[Menolly]

Thanks Brooke.
I was wondering why I hadn't seen her all day...
Love and Light, Furls.
Love and Light!!

[danlo]

As always!

[Seareach]

As always!

ditto

[Fist and Faith]

Yeah, she seemed a bit different in our txts earlier.

[Avatar]

Thinking of ya Furls.

--A

[Fire Daughter]

Mom has caught the seasonal flu (not H1N1), tho I don't think it makes much difference which one it is. Her lung is filling with fluid and Dr. Liz is on her way up to put her back on the vent. We hope and pray this doesn't turn into another pnuemonia or worse...sepsis. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.