I started the thread, Carol.  And you're cheating.  You're supposed to
mention just the most memorable and tell us what lesson you learned.  Smile.
But I appreciated all you shared.  Sounds like the lesson is that the LORD
will get us through anything, the highs and the lows.  And I hope you feel
all better very quickly this year.

Paul
----- Original Message -----
From: "carol pearson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2003 10:50 AM
Subject: Re: MOST MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS


> Mat, I'm sorry to read that account.  Sadly, most people have some
> Christmases like that, but it's good that you have the recording to enjoy.
>
> While we were always encouraged to be home for Christmas and to "keep the
> peace" on that day, when often an Aunt and a family friend were present,
and
> anyone else Mum and Dad took in because they had nobody else, we didn't
> enjoy too many for one reason and another.
>
> There were a few funny incidents though.  One year (when my youngest
brother
> was about ten) my older brother brought hot sauce through from the kitchen
> just as my young brother moved his head.  The result was an unfortunate
hair
> wash which was really so amusing and, thankfully, Roy was not badly
burned.
>
> The other things of note were that I dreaded Christmas dinner in the later
> years together because they always would pile my plate so high that I
could
> hardly eat it all.  This was because my Dad and Brother had a running "fun
> game" that, if I didn't eat it, my dog would get it!  They knew I wouldn't
> give it to my dog or allow them to do so, so I'd go on trying to eat.  I
> often ended up away from the table, trying to find a bit more room, and
> standing in the corner almost being force fed.  It got a bit beyond a
joke,
> to be honest!  . . ..  It was compounded by the fact that my Aunt and also
> other friends would make sure that, if they didn't want their sprouts, I
> would have them on my plate.  Of course I got wise to their doings but
> couldn't do much about it.  Thankfully, those days are gone.
>
> From very young days I have happy memories of Christmas Eve, going with my
> brother to our good friends and delivering presents, stopping to sing
carols
> around the piano, then walking home late, sometimes in the snow!  I
remember
> one year getting all the way to our front drive and being glad I hadn't
> slipped over in the snow - then I fell!  Oh, and of course, when my sister
> was a teenager, she loved packing up my present in front of me whilst we
> were in bed, saying "Now I'm just packing your present . . .."
>
> Other years haven't gone so well.  There was the year Mum and Dad almost
> split up . . . and the terrible rows on Christmas morning.  A number of
> Christmases I have been ill.  One year I almost died Christmas Eve with
> Whooping Cough and another Christmas was confined to total bed rest;
still
> others I have had bad viruses.  Looks as though I may not manage Christmas
> this year without a sore throat or a headache.  There's a flu type bug
doing
> the rounds here and I have had it now for a couple of days.  It seems that
> it just won't budge.  Well, it won't be anything new, guess!
>
> Anyway, less of my ramblings.  Oh, whoever started this thread . . ..???
>
>
> --
> Carol
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Matt" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2003 2:58 PM
> Subject: Re: MOST MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS
>
>
> > It is interesting that so far, the christmas memories I have read about
> are
> > from childhood.
> > I wonder if it is the last time some families play together.
> > The magic of santaclaws and the mistery and all like that and the young
> > families all coming together to grandparents house to be cared for
again?
> > When I was a kid, we most always went to my father's parents house where
> > there was always a feast and a croud.
> > I have an audeo tape of one of these cristmases dating back to the late
> 70's
> > and it is about worn out.
> > We valued it highly because it was secretly recorded by my next brother
up
> > on his new taperecorder and the main part was of a hot football game
> between
> > my cousin who was the bigwheel santa I spoke of and my oldest brother.
> > The cousin was to die the next year in a small plane crash and he was
very
> > carismatic and loved by all.  He was lightweight champian of the world
in
> > kick boxing at the time of his death and things were just starting to
take
> > off for him.  He had just got a script for a movie and his school was
> doing
> > well and he had fighters he followed around who he had trained.  He was
on
> > his way to watch one of his students fight with his girlfriend, a
trainer
> > friend and another friend who was piloting and owned the small plane in
> > which they crashed.
> > They had just refuled in mimfis Tenessee from what I was told and for
some
> > reason they crashed in the smokey mountains.  There were interesting
> points
> > about the crash which were never understood.  For instance, they had
just
> > refueled and when the plane was found there was only a teaspoon of fuel
in
> > the tank.  Of course, they could have emptied the tank for whatever
reason
> > if that particular type of plane had that capability?
> > I don't know about that.
> > They also knew they were going to crash, or they reacted quickly because
> the
> > boy who was a trainer, had jumpped out of the plane, too early, meaning
> the
> > plane was still too high up for him to have lived.
> > His body was found in a creek.
> > The girlfriend's and pilot's bodies were found in the cocpit and my
> cousin's
> > body was found laying on the door of the plane which had fallen off on
> > impact.
> > He evidently was waiting to jump when they got closer to the ground and
> had
> > not done so in time or not been able to.
> > The people who delt with the bodies were amazed at the shape in which my
> > cousin's body was found.  He was in such great physical shape from his
> fight
> > training that his body had swelled and he had scratches on him but that
> was
> > it.
> > The woman's body was in very bad shape from the immediate drop or the
> impact
> > and I guess, likewise the pilot's body.
> > It was a sudden shock to the family and my cousin left behind 2 young
> > daughters who had hard lives and took bad paths later.
> > It was all a shame and his personality was so that people had a hard
time
> > excepting that he was gone.  Many people reported strong dreams about
him
> > where they would encounter him alive or as a ghost.  The oldest daughter
> > claimed to be in contact with him and to talk with him but I think this
> was
> > the influence of her mother who was manipulative and vendictive.
> > My cousin had left trustfunds to care for his kids and by the time they
> were
> > out of highschool, their mother had helpped them drain the money and
they
> > had ended up living so well that they found themselves seaking jobs
which
> > were unhealthy but aforded them a large cash flow.
> > In otherwords they became exotic dancers.  The oldest experimented with
> > lesbianism and had a daughter by a man she had a one night stand with to
> > raise the chaild with her girlfriend.  Last I heard she had turned away
> from
> > lesbianism and married the son of a man her mother later married.
> > I know this all reads like a soap opra but all of the facts are true.
> > My cousin and his wife, the mother of the two girls were either going
> > through or had just finalized a divorce.  My parents were either heading
> > into or would later divorce.
> > Devision is a lust of the flesh and my parent's divorce strained and
later
> > destroied these christmases at my grandparent's house as I spoke of
above.
> > Gee Matt, what a blast of sunshine, hearts and flowers for christmas eh?
> > Sorry.
> > It's an interesting yet twisted storey I have lived.  Religion did not
> play
> > a big part in these christmases but family closeness and the kids all
> > playing bord games and such.
> > It was the best time I knew.
> > Oh, another interesting fact, I don't think I was on this audeo tape at
> all.
> > I was either in the kitchen the whole time being fed by my grandmother,
> > tipicle of me then, or I was in hospital.
> >
> > Matt
> >