L A I N E C R O S B Y

The Day Before the Blizzard and The Riding Fence

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 02:56:00 +0000

I think the wives of Noah's friends got a bum rap. All we ever hear about is how all of the people of Noah's day made fun of Noah for building the ark. "Hey, whatcha doing there Noah? What kind of lighting ya gonna have? Flood lights? hahahahaha!" But I don't think that's how it really went down.

I think Noah's guy friends probably came home and told their wives, "You know honey, that guy who lives down by the 3 olive trees after you take a right at the stump after the goat field? Well, he's building this big boat because God said there is going to be a flood. Can you believe that sh*t? And on top of that nonsense, he's gathering two of each animal for his boat."

And the typical wife replied, "It wouldn't hurt you none to get off your sorry a$$ and get some exercise. When was the last time God talked to you? You had better take heed and build us a boat too."

And the nagging started. The wives realized they didn't want to be stuck on the roof for all of the rainy season, so, they searched Amazon and looked for boat bargains. They talked to each other, compared prices, and one even found a sale on ebay for exactly what she needed. For 6 months prior to the flood these women planned and made decisions and "suggested" that their husbands take their advice. All they needed was the strength and physical power to assemble what they needed to prepare for a natural disaster. They had done their research, selected the products, power tools, and assembly kit.

But the husbands did not listen. For two seasons prior to the rainy season, these men would not budge. Then the rain started to fall... One man then looked on Amazon and realized it was too late to get anything he needed. So, he thought a raft from the pool would work just fine.

Thousands of years later, a blizzard hits Montgomery County, Maryland with 3 feet of snow. I found this in the garage this morning where my car would be. It is our lawnmower with half of our fence bungeed to the front of it. I don't think I need to explain the rest of the story.

Sum - Es - Est - Sumus - Estis - Sunt.

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Sun, 01 Mar 2015 23:31:00 +0000

On this day, many, many years ago, I was born. This morning, my daughter Annie asked, “What does it feel like to be half-way finished with your life?” She thought she was funny, but her words took me back in time. I thought about when my mother was the age I am now, I was five years old, and well on the way to becoming a writer. Her intertwined lessons of love and instruction have stuck to me like the velcro on my son’s shoes.

We didn’t have computers or cell phones, MP3 players or microwaves. Momma taught me how to cook food that didn’t come from a box, look people in the eye and talk, tie real shoe laces and conjugate Latin verbs before I could even conjugate their English versions. Fluent in many languages, and a former decoder for the FBI, my mother stressed language for all of my years, and the importance of Latin as the root of all modern languages. It has been a goal of mine to pass on a love for reading and writing to my children and others. My father is credited also with my love of writing and history, as he wrote books as an historian, and as a lecturer, there was no one as engaging or as funny. He also taught me how to shoot a .45 caliber Smith and Wesson without falling backwards, and how to keep a straight face when finding the humor in social situations. I think these last two lessons have made me feel the most comfortable in life.

When my husband, a teacher at Annie’s high school, asked me to come and talk for Career Day, I thought I had my chance to pass on my love for all things written and ironic. Annie overheard her Daddy and cried out, “Oh My God! NO! MOM! You can’t come!”

It took Chris a week to convince her that I would not talk about being a medium. The students at her small Catholic middle school were relentlessly cruel after she appeared with me on an episode of the Bio Channel’s My Ghost Story. While the administration was supportive of her, mean girls raised the bar on verbal bullying, and she is happy to be back in public school with her friends again. As a result, I do understand her position, although in my defense, she is in a syndicated tv segment, two best selling books, and my blog and Facebook pages. I don’t think Career Day is going to be her demise.

But trying to be a supportive mom, I went through my list of occupations as if I could choose one from my closet like a colorful sweater…

Mom (Boring, busy, and rewarding––multi-colored striped sweater with food stains)
Magazine Editor/Banking Industry (zzzz––gray sweater with holes), and
Writer (Conservative––Blue sweater, high neckline).

Then I got an email from the PTA welcoming the New York Times Bestselling author. Oh No! Red Sweater––Low neckline! I was embarrassed. Were they really talking about me? After all, I wake up after most people have had their morning coffee, I work with a dog in my lap, and don’t own a pair of Manolo Blahniks. Could I pull this off?

On Friday, I was welcomed by students at Richard Montgomery High School. I had eight periods of honors/IB/AP Literature, English, and Theater to entertain. In period one I talked about how writers are needed for everything. I passed out Dove chocolates as proof, but none of these had the empowering statement within the wrapper, as they usually do. Possibly, I thought, a foreshadowing of my day. The teacher began to talk about her masters degree in Puritanical Literature. It wasn’t even 8 a.m. yet, my coffee was cold, and I had lost them.

After that period, another class came in, along with another teacher. I talk about how being a writer is about observing and persuading, entertaining and seeing the humor in life. Shedding light on that which is dark. Learning to write in different genres, and accepting criticism and then discarding it. Yada, Yada, Yada.

These kids are smart and I loved them for asking questions. They were beginning to awaken. They asked my favorite authors, and I encouraged them to read more Welty, Faulkner, Hemingway, and the classics. Life is always the same, I tell them, but culture changes and influences people. Those cultural boundaries in history tell you a lot about human nature. I decided to remain exclusive with my true love of Dave Barry, Diana Gabaldon, and Audrey Niffeneggar, for fear that they may never read a school book again.

At this point, I’m not sure if anyone cares what I’m saying or is just being polite, when a hand is raised in the third row from the back. A girl who looks a lot more put-together than I was in the 9th grade, is smiling at me and waving her hand impatiently. I start to say, “Sure, you can go to the bathroom,” when she blurts out, “So, what’s it like to see ghosts?” The class went silent.

I was caught speechless. I looked at the teacher who says, “Oh yes, we went to your website and read about you.” Still processing this, I hear “How did you become a medium?” from the other side of the room.

Oh Crap. Annie is going to be M-A-D!

Then I started to think like a teenager. Maybe I can get away with this without being caught by my daughter. Maybe I won’t get punished if she never finds out!

Since there are over 2,200 students in the school, I decide to take a risk and answer their questions, and tell my ghost stories. After all, authors spend most of their time lecturing when not writing (or playing with their dogs).

From then on, my most commonly repeated phrase between ghostly stories was, “See if you learn how to write, then you can be a writer no matter what your occupation.” But these cloaked disclaimers were as inaudible as ghosts themselves. These inquisitive young minds were thinking about what to ask next.

By the time I saw Annie, I was bracing for the storm. She gave me a big hug and said “You talked about being a medium!” Chris blurted out, “They already knew and it wasn’t her fault!” Annie laughs and tells me that it was cool.

And I remembered what it was like to be young again. But I’m glad I’m half way.

I Am Not Hating the Groundhog So Much Today.

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 17:00:00 +0000

Today is my day to write, and I have not written about anything other than the Dodd-Frank Act, or Bankruptcy, or TILA-RESPA in a really long time. All the stars are aligned. I feel better; I got a big coffee at McDonalds; and, it is 33 degrees, which means I can leave the doggie door open without stuffing a sheet in the crack. Everything is going my way.

I get comfortable in my recliner and Pete twirls 3 times in my lap before snuggling in. We are set. Then it happened—that noise from the roof. I wish Chris had not thrown tarps on the roof, they just blow around and clank in the wind. As I look up, I swear I’m seeing a ghost descending directly down from the skylight. No, it’s just a spider web. Before I can follow that thought process to understand how a spiderweb could be dislodged inside, and it still be Chris’ fault, a bird comes swooping down from the skylight and around the room.

Having had Steve, the Jack Russell Terror, I knew immediately to close all doors, even if not in the vicinity of the bird. I was prepared! I had experience! I was going to get a sheet and catch me a bird.

It all sounded so easy in my head. But that damn critter read my mind. I forgot to close the door to Annie’s room! Pete and I turn, and in perfectly-timed step, we toggle the bottom two stairs. He passes me around the turn, but thanks to Annie’s hidden pile of dirty clothes, I move into the lead. I leapt the last 3 stairs and close the door to Annie’s room, just as Pete tries to wedge his way through. I realize now that I forgot to fix the knob when Annie locked herself in her room 10 years ago. Or maybe it is Chris’ fault.

I start piling up everything I can find, against the door. The bird sees me and takes flight. From window to window it transverses the room, then runs along the floor—just like the Road Runner—under the bed and back to the first window again. Over and over and over. It does not want to fly into the sheet, and he tells me so. Hearing this, Wile Coyote manages to break into the room as Road Runner flees back under the bed. Wile Coyote is barking, sheets are flying, pillows are airborne, and in the midst of all this, the bed has somehow broken and resembles a Gymboree slide. Could this be karma for saying those women on the Bachelor wouldn’t make it a day on Prince Farming’s dusty acres?

In the midst of all of this, Chris texts me to say he would be home late. Since I texted him “no worries”, and also disclosed that I was in the heat of battle, with a brown thrasher, he decides this would be the perfect time to call and offer me strategic advice. And wanting to answer, “Hi Honey, WTF?!”, I just pressed “answer” and paused. He gets right to the point:

“OPEN THE WINDOW!!!”

Now friends, as you can imagine, there were too many replies in my mind to settle on a winner. So, Chris takes this pause to mean he has saved the day, and he can further inform me:

“Put Pete OUTSIDE the room and CLOSE THE DOOR”.

Really, Sherlock? This is your best advice? was my first thought. Thank you, You saved the day. was my second. But since both sounded too cynical at this point, I just said, “Prepare Annie for the worst, and you have a bed to fix when you get home. I have a radio show tonight. I gotta go.”

However, while juggling Chris and Pete, the bird had flown out the window. I think.

I can relate to this short segment from Modern Family.

Bill Murray is my Mentor.

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 17:00:00 +0000

I come home from the morning school run today, and precious Pete is sitting in the window waiting for me, as he has been for the past hour. I would like to think it is because he loves me, but really, it is so I can let him outside to bark at the groundhog as soon as I get home. Really. He told me so.

I let Pete out, then go to my computer to start writing. What seems like a long time passes. Where is Pete? Why has he not jumped through the doggie door into my lap, shivering with cold kisses?

I go to the window to look. No Pete. So, I put on my glasses, and I see a little brown stick moving just above the ground at the fence line in the far back. No...it's a tail!

So I wrap up (again) and make a beeline to the fence. The little guy is all the way underground, with only his tail sticking out of a brand new groundhog hole–––under the fence. A LARGE hole from where I hear rustling.

I pull him out by his tail, and he grins at me like the Cheshire cat, ironically. So I decide to patch the hole until Chris can come and do some major dirt hauling. As I proceed to stuff the hole with sticks, Pete thinks this is a game, and he fights over each one, and of course, he wins. So, I try to kick some leaves on the hole, but who am I kidding? It is starting to snow so I give up.

I step back to look at my mediocre feat, and I find myself knee-deep in another, yes another, ground hog hole.

I have now realized that damn groundhog is smarter than me.

He will NOT see his shadow on my watch!

Gone With the Wind

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 17:03:00 +0000

I think I am the only psychic who continually has to evacuate from family beach vacations because of a hurricane, no matter the state, or the date. This is my third, and I already know that property rental companies are not polite when you tell them a hurricane is going to hit. When I called our beach house rental company in Cape Hatteras this morning, Mary refused to tell me where to drop off the key. Her reason was that I was "an alarmist" and The Weather Channel "just tries to scare people". I told her an evacuation was about to be called, and it was just a matter of time, and at some point this summer I had to leave, so why not just tell me what I want to know?

After repeating her criticism possibly 10 more times, once again, I had enough. I wanted to say, "Well, last night my angel told me to get out by noon, and believe me, you want to do what my angel says," but I decided against that approach for Mary. Realizing that she was indeed not named after the Blessed Virgin, but maybe after the illegitimate self-appointed Queen of England, I said, and I won't quote, but the gist was that I had worked for The Weather Channel (TWC) and I had the inside scoop. Technically this was not a lie because God does know better than even The Weather Channel, and Angel assured me she (it) was on His staff. Then I explained to Mary why a hurricane on the North Carolina coast is called only a day in advance. Businesses in the state can lose over 600 million dollars a day, and if the hurricane does not hit and TWC is wrong, they don't want to hurt the commerce.

Once I found out that I simply had to put the house key in a dropbox, I realized (1) she was insane not to tell me this right away, and (2) I may likely find myself beheaded if I go much further into their building.

But I did anyway. When I entered, a lady, who was way too friendly for a Wednesday morning, grinned as if I were Brad Paisley. "Hiiiii, how can I help you today?" she gushed. Well, I want to drop off my key and tell you that we didn't steal the television you claim to have in the house. It wasn't there when we arrived. I almost told her the "high speed" was missing from the internet too, when she interrupted, "YOU'RE LEAVING so soon?" Uh, yeah, and if you don't get a frickin' clue soon, that hurricane is going to carry off your body to wherever your mind is. No, I didn't say that. I just said, "Have a nice day!" and she replied, "You too! Come back soon!"

So, we escaped. After an eventful ride with a jack russell terrier turning around in circles on my bladder for 8 hours (for the second time in 3 days), we just walked in the door of our home. I had to pray immediately, "Thank you God for telling us to leave early, and thank you my sweet Angel. But I also had to add, by the way, just wondering, uhhh, why did you not tell me when I booked the house and paid for it? My answer came quickly and loudly, "YOU DIDN'T ASK". Mea Culpa.

I had no time to reflect on this when my husband came barreling in with his iPad, "Hey listen to this! A CAT 2 is going to hit Cape Hatteras!" And grinning, I felt the urge to yell, "Score! Take that Mary!" And then I realized how horrible that was and how the hurricane has ruined family vacations, businesses, and will hurt property. But in my defense, I have no doubt The Weather Channel was saying, "Woo Hoo! First hurricane on July 3! We'll meet our revenue goals yet!"

Oh, and Mary, we took your advice to just move our car to higher ground. Maryland! Perhaps you should do the same.

UPDATE!!! 7/3 1:38 PM:

So, I'm exhausted from yesterday, and I am asleep at the ungodly late time of 53 minutes past seven, when I receive a phone call from the very same happy lady that checked me out of Hatteras Island yesterday morning, whom we shall refer to as "Zoloft".

Zoloft: Well, Good Morning! Is this Ms. Crosby?

Me: Yes this is Laine (I notice from the caller ID that I am talking with a person in North Carolina, and I would recognize that voice anywhere).

Zoloft: Well, how are you today?

Me: Get the Hell out of Dodge, Lady! There's a hurricane coming. You know, the one I was an "alarmist" to mention?!! No, I didn't say that. I said, "Umm, fine??"

Zoloft: Well, I don't know if you know this, but there is a mandatory evacuation on the island because there is a hurricane coming. I just pause as I'm thinking, this has to be a joke. Someone really has a great impression of Zoloft and her cheery Southern drawl.

Zoloft: Ma'am, did you know that?

Me: (Chuckling at this point) Yes, I did.

Zoloft: Well, we were just wondering when you were going to leave?

Me: Well, since the evacuation was prior to 5 am, if I were there, I would be stuck, as all roads are now closed and no one can leave the island.

Zoloft: Well, the evacuation IS mandatory. When are you leaving?

Me: Yes, that is why we left yesterday, because we saw on The Weather Channel that a hurricane was barreling down on us. I came and gave you my keys and had you check my account and make sure the time and date of our departure was noted. Because, I have travel insurance in the case of a hurricane and I wanted everything in order.

Zoloft: So you're in North Carolina?

Me: No I'm home. In fact, I'm worried about y'all. Please be safe.

Zoloft: Oh, thanks! We will be. We just have to drive around now to all the properties to make sure the lights are off and the deck chairs are inside.

Me: Well, you don't have to check ours because we put the chairs inside and secured the trash can under the house and turned off the lights.

Zoloft (enthusiastically): OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Me: Well, yeah, I mean we had some notice from The Weather Channel. We knew a hurricane was coming. (Geez, did THEIR television go missing too?)

Zoloft: So, y'all are in North Carolina?

Me: We live in Maryland, and we left yesterday morning after we talked, and we drove straight home, so now we are in Maryland. I really am worried for you... I mean you all. You have a lot to do, so I had better let you get off the phone. I know you have a lot of vacationers you have to call. I'll be praying for you... all.

Zoloft: Oh, I'm confused.

(NO, REALLY?)

Zoloft: The person on the phone before you was in North Carolina trying to evacuate.

Me: Well, I'm pretty sure that's the case for everyone who didn't leave at noon yesterday to miss the traffic, like we did. Since, after all, we KNEW there was a hurricane coming.

You know, I have several different apps on my phone and tablets that just beep and alert me when there is severe weather. They are free and easy to download.

Zoloft: Well, have a good trip.

Me: Yeah, thanks. You too!

(My prayers go out to all those who were affected by Hurricane Arthur, and I am thankful there were no casualties other than property and businesses).

Lent, Lucifer, and Evolution

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 00:18:00 +0000

For many, lent is solely the past participle of lend, but for those with dirty foreheads today, it marks the Christian season of preparation before Easter. Today is the first day of Lent, or Ash Wednesday, and it is marked by services of penitence. Lent lasts forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays), and is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ––his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection. After all, he fasted and prayed forty days in the wilderness, it should be easy for us to give up something and empathize with Him, right?

Last year I gave up chocolate and was successful. This year I decided to give up refined sugar. I knew it meant I would also face the devil, but I was determined. I lasted until lunch.

Then my perspective shifted. My friend Doug wrote me that he was going to give up ingratitude, because he was pretty sure that gratitude was the key to peace. I have a hunch he’s on to something.

My husband tells our children that to lead a happy life, they must be content with what they already have. Chris has always practiced what he preached, but I'm not always so good about it. I always have more I want to accomplish, and I think about those experiences as "haves" rather than money and what it brings.

I do believe one of the major keys to happiness is gratitude, because in Lent we give up something we enjoy, and we realize how grateful we are for all that we do have. I also believe what my mother taught me about always doing for others. If we get out of our own head and do for others––whether we volunteer to help the less fortunate, or do small acts of kindness––we become less self absorbed and more grateful for what we have.

So, I am going to challenge myself and you may join me if you wish (no matter what your religion), to pay it forward during the next forty days, and hopefully habits will form. Whether we mail a card to a loved one, deliver a box of Girl Scout cookies to a shut-in, shovel a neighbor's drive, or just post a message to a Facebook friend we have not seen in a while, that small act can cause ripples in some places and a chain reaction in others. How cool would that be! Then, journal about what we appreciate, and thank God. I believe that is the meaning of evolution.

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Remember Your Legacy too!

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 17:08:00 +0000

When the spirit of Jannette told her story to me as I relayed in Investigative Medium - the Awakening, I became her mouthpiece to bring her back from the antebellum South––to preserve her history. I wish we all knew more about those who made us what we are today. Last week, my ninety-five-year-old cousin passed, and I was asked to speak at her funeral. A million thoughts crossed my mind, but not one of them contained information about our complete ancestry, or any stories she would have liked told. I wish I had asked more. Done more.

While reflecting on my prospective eulogy, I received a phone call (okay really a Facebook message then a phone call) from my old friend, David Ivy, from my hometown of Atlanta. David has been a well known sportscaster and an award-winning producer for over twenty-five years, and I’ve always enjoyed his insight. We discussed my upcoming release, Real Daughters, and I explained how important it is that the history of the daughters of Confederate soldiers be recorded. Because David often regaled stories like his great grandmother’s account of burning of Atlanta, I knew he felt my lust for history too.

David suggested I video my interviews so my audience can sense in more ways than reading. He’s right, but for many reasons I hesitate, because I lack professional equipment, editing capabilities, and production experience. But David had the perfect solution.

He told me about his production company’s recent venture, Your Legacy Videos (www.yourlegacyvideos.com). His team makes professional documentary videos to preserve life stories, memories, events, visions and achievements for generations to come. They develop masterful high definition factual stories, and will visit your home or office for taping. If only I had done this with my parents!

His work excited me so much that I wanted to share it with you. I know you will enjoy visiting his web site and seeing some of the family history he has recorded at www.yourlegacyvideos.com. In addition, Your Legacy Video makes a unique and meaningful gift for your loved ones, whether you record your story for your children, or whether you give your parents or grandparents the gift of their own documentary.

Imagine a world where you come to know more about your great, great grandparents than the black and white egg shaped picture of two frowning old people. What if you saw them laugh, heard their stories in their own voice, and saw yourself in their eyes? How would you feel?

Priceless!

Believe,
Laine

Visit www.yourlegacyvideos.com for more information and to see some of the videos already completed! Or, you can call 1.800.632.7267.

Memories of a Southern Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 23:29:00 +0000

The other day while doing research, I found this letter to Robert E. Lee by three little Southern girls, and his response. I was so touched by their exchange, that I wanted to share the story with you. I thought it would be appropriate to include this Christmas, as this year marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. It was first printed in 1867 as part of Mrs. Louise Clack's Christmas Gift To Her Little Southern Friends, and all proceeds were given to Orphans of the South.
Enjoy, Laine

Dear General Lee:

We think you are the goodest man that ever lived, and our auntie says you will go right straight to heaven when you die; so we want to ask you a question, for we want to know the truth about it, and we know that you always speak the truth.

Please tell us whether Santa Claus loves the little rebel children, for we think he don't; because he did not come to see us for four Christmas Eves. Auntie thinks you would not let him cross the lines, and we don't know how to find out unless we write and ask you. We all love you dearly, and we want to send you something; but we have not any thing nice enough; we lost all our toys in the war. Birdie wants to send you one of our white kittens--the one with black ears; but Auntie thinks maybe you don't like kittens. We say little prayers for you every night, dear General Lee, and ask God to make you ever so happy. Please let us know about Santa Claus as soon as you can; we want to know for something very, very, very particular; but we can't tell even you why until Christmas time, so please to excuse us.

Your little friends,
Lutie, Birdie, and Minnie

My dear little friends:

I was very glad to receive your kind letter, and to know by it that I have the good wishes and prayers of three innocent little girls, named Lutie, Birdie, and Minnie.

I am very glad that you wrote about Santa Claus for I am able to tell you all about him. I can assure you he is one of the best friends that the little Southern girls have. You will understand this when I explain to you the reason of his not coming to see you for four years.

The first Christmas Eve of the war I was walking up and down in the camp ground, when I thought I heard a singular noise above my head; and on looking to find out from whence it came, I saw the queerest, funniest-looking little old fellow riding along in a sleigh through the air. On closer inspection, he proved to be Santa Claus.

“Halt! Halt!” I said; but at this the funny fellow laughed, and did not seem inclined to obey, so again I cried,“Halt!”. And he drove down to my side with a sleigh full of toys. I was very sorry for him when I saw the disappointed expression of his face when I told him he could go no further South; and when he exclaimed, “Oh, what will my little Southern children do!” I felt more sorry, for I love little children to be happy, and especially at Christmas. But of one thing I was certain--I knew my little friends would prefer me to do my duty, rather than have all the toys in the world; so I said: “Santa Claus, take every one of the toys you have back as far as Baltimore, sell them, and with the money you get buy medicines, bandages, ointments, and delicacies for our sick and wounded men; do it and do it quickly--it will be all right with the children.”
Then Santa Claus sprang into his sleigh, and putting his hand to his hat in true military style, said: “I obey orders, General,” and away he went. Long before morning he came sweeping down into camp again, with not only every thing I had ordered, but with many other things that our poor soldiers needed. And every Christmas he took the toy money and did the same thing; and the soldiers and I blessed him, for he clothed and fed many a poor soul who otherwise would have been cold and hungry. Now, do you not consider him a good friend. I hold him in high respect, and trust you will always do the same.
I should be pleased to hear from you again, my dear little girls, and I want you ever to consider me,   Your true friend,
General Robert E. Lee

She Hears Dead People

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Sun, 07 Jul 2013 16:32:00 +0000

I am honored that Dr. Katherine Ramsland has chosen to write about my book in her column in Psychology Today, shown below:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shadow-boxing/201306/she-hears-dead-people

A blog that probes the mind's dark secrets

by Katherine Ramsland

She Hears Dead People

A woman who becomes “suddenly psychic” turns “curse” into a gift.

Published on June 30, 2013 by Katherine Ramsland in Shadow Boxing

Jessica Lunsford was a third-grader in Homosassa, Florida, with big plans to become a fashion designer. Then one night in February 2005, she went missing from the doublewide mobile home where she lived with her father and grandparents. Although there was no sign of a struggle, a stuffed purple dolphin was missing from Jessica’s room and the front door was unlocked.
Unfortunately, there were several potential suspects among the area’s known sexual predators. Among them was John Couey, 46, who resided 100 yards from the Lunsfords. Police questioned him and even went into the room where he was holding Jessica captive, but they didn’t see or hear anything related to her.
Authorities finally arrested Couey on March 17, whereupon he confessed to kidnapping Jessica while high on drugs. He’d kept her in a closet for several days before tricking her into getting inside some large garbage bags and then burying her. Jessica's remains were found on March 19. An autopsy indicated that she’d been sexually assaulted and had died from suffocation.

Laine Crosby’s experience as an “investigative medium” began with this case. She suddenly sensed one day, as if she were inside the grave, that a little girl was buried alive and needed help. But the searchers weren’t looking in the right place. Laine was screaming, but no one could hear. “I’m so close,” she writes, “it’s almost as if I’m an overlay, a varnish on a picture.”

Laine wanted to inform the police, fax them a map, anything to help, but her husband persuaded her that they would ignore her or think she was a kook or had guilty knowledge. When Jessica’s remains were found, and Couey admitted he’d buried her alive, Crosby resolved that she’d never hesitate again, no matter what anyone thought. She’s convinced she might have saved the girl.
I met Laine through Mark and Carol Nesbitt, whom I’ve known through my paranormal investigations. Mark was featured in my book, Ghost: Investigating the Other Side, and I’ve often stayed in the “Ghost House” where his Ghosts of Gettysburg office is located. Together, we wrote Blood and Ghosts: Paranormal Forensic Investigators. Laine became part of some of those stories, because we crossed paths at certain sites and she gave us some readings on several incidents.

For example, at the Winery at La Grange in Haymarket, Virginia, large dark stains on the hardwood floor of a third-floor room suggested the presence of blood. In one area, it took the shape of a body that had bled out, and in another area there seemed to have been a bloody struggle. (I’m not psychic and I could see this.) The new owners knew of no violent incidents there, but they did have a few ghost stories.

I watched as Laine had a conversation with a man who’d died (I heard only her side). Apparently, he was still in the room. The victim described a struggle with his brother-in-law, who’d shot him twice. He lay dying for a long time, he said, and his body went undiscovered in that room for five days. He gave a name and year, but we never found records.

Laine also performed remote viewing for us when she couldn’t come along on a trip, and during this time, she’d told us she was writing a book about her experiences. Now it’s done. Investigative Medium – the Awakening has been published. I was eager to read it.

In 2004, Laine moved from Atlanta, GA, to a haunted house on a former plantation in Maryland. Besides going through culture shock, she soon learned that the property was loaded with spirits, largely from a slave cemetery. When they overheard her tell her kids about spiritual realities, they came calling. Lots of them.

The chaos finally settles down as Laine finds people who can help her to learn more about her spiritual talent, as well as about the history of her new abode.

This book is the first in a series as it describes Laine’s developing ability to absorb the complex details of a decedent’s life story. One spirit in particular, Janette, offers up a long tale about love, family, and slavery. She appears to have had a similar tussle with racism and sexism from her 19^th-century circumstances to Laine’s struggle with prejudices against her spiritual abilities. So, the two stories are parallel.

The second book, which is excerpted at the end, looks to be more along the lines of Ghost Whisperer, but The Awakening lays the groundwork. It introduces readers to Laine’s family, her sudden psychic abilities, and her involvement in the process of her mother’s dying, as well as in the stories of people who once lived (or fought a battle) on the plantation grounds. Watching how her gifts affect her family is its own intriguing narrative.

Laine’s talents are well suited to helping historians, historical writers, taphophiles, cold case detectives, and missing-persons organizations. I expect that her books will bring her plenty of new inquiries.

How to Cleanse Negative Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:34:00 +0000

I’ll never forget going to my daughter’s fourth grade winter concert and listening to the other moms talk about their Christmas vacation. The O’Hairs went to Walt Disney World, the Webbs went to the beach, and then it was my turn.   I didn’t think my husband would approve if I told these women I stayed home and performed an exorcism, but I would have liked to have seen their faces, if I did share this news. I paused as I contemplated how much to say.

“Oh, you know, we celebrated Christmas, visited some historic sites, the usual.” I stopped there, and they all turned back to their conversation not really knowing how to respond to such a sad, uneventful story. But that’s the story of my life. My close friends love to hear about my adventures, but sometimes, I have to leave reality at the door for the good of my children, parochial school, and those who may not want their kids playing with a child who sees ghosts and doesn’t even care.

I like to watch CIA thrillers and pretend to understand how these agents feel, taking their children to swim meets and soccer practices, then rushing off in the middle of the night to detain terrorists at Dulles International Airport, and then back home to make pancakes with whipped cream smiley faces by morning. I live the most honestly deceitful life I know. And I love every minute of it.

If you’ve read the excerpt of my book, you know I live in a new house on an old plantation. When you read my book, you will know the horror of our first months here, and how I had to cleanse my house. It was a hard time for me, and for my family. The spirits didn’t all come with the house, but when word got out that I could hear them and see them, they came from all around to get my attention. In other words, I was haunted.

I can’t begin to tell you how many people have told me stories of unwanted hauntings, so I feel it is necessary to explain how to take care of ridding yourself of unwanted energy. I had to learn myself, and I hope to make it easier for others.

When you walk into a room where people have had an argument, you may be able to sense it. The energy feels different. When a friend is mad, you may be able to feel that too. Our emotions are energy, and we can leave behind this energy. When I say energy, this can be spirits or ghosts, or it can also be just plain energy, or emotions. Positive energy and positive thoughts attract positive energy, and negative thoughts (and deeds) attract negative energy. This is not necessarily ghosts, and it is not demons. It is just energy that is attracted to an energy source to live. It is parasitic and is often attracted to like energy, but can also wander in with guests, contractors, or those who may service or visit your home. Many people assign names to this energy, but in essence everything is just energy, and I define these by their nature- negative or positive energy.

If you are moving into a new house, you may want to remove the energy of anything which may have happened there before you arrived. It is always a good idea to cleanse your home whether you’ve lived in it for years or are just moving in, although rarely do people do this unless they find themselves with a haunting.

“Hurry and get over here! I have a demon in my closet!” If you’ve sent me an email with this line as the subject, take a deep breath. First of all, when you are sensitive, energies, entities, ghosts, or whatever is in your closet may feel malevolent. Only with experience comes the gift of discernment, so please don’t jump to conclusions if you are scared.   Ninety-nine out of a hundred times, that scary thing in your closet is just a ghost, or the air conditioning unit. Just because something makes the hair stand up on your neck, does not mean it is bad. How would you feel if you died and ended up in someone’s closet? Well, you probably don’t want them chasing you around with sage and screaming at you. Ghosts are people too.

Second, Asking me for help won’t do the trick. I can come over and get rid of your ghosts, demons, negative energy and all the scary stuff, but it is your house and they know it. If you are not the one to cleanse your house, they won’t take you seriously, and they may come right back. You have to take control and do the cleansing yourself for it to work. Or, at least be part of the process and demand they (it) leave. You can have a sensitive with you if you need help in feeling if energy has changed, but ultimately, you have the responsibility to get the job done right. Ministers and priests can also help if you feel more inclined, but you must be the one to take control and keep control.

Control is the most important part of the process of expelling anything unwanted from your home. If your will is firm and unyielding, it will leave. If you are scared because you are hearing voices, seeing shadows, or feel things that go bump in the night, you need to tell them that they bother you and they must leave you alone. When you hear them, tell them you hear them, and that is NOT okay. Ask them to please leave you alone so you will not be disturbed. Be firm but not outraged. Remind them that it is your home and ask them to respect your wishes.

Don't try to figure out what or who is there. The more evp you get, the more excited they get, and more come. The more you talk with ghosts in your home, or attempt to talk with them, the more active they will be. More will come because you are trying to reach them. When more come, you’ll feel more, hear more, and see more. Don’t make this mistake. Your home is your sanctuary. Don’t treat it like a venue for your personal paranormal investigations, unless you like hearing and seeing them. In that case, you would not be reading this blog. Don't use a pendulum at home. Let them know your home is a place of immunity where you can be yourself, and you don't want to be bothered there.

Then, I would do the cleansing I've outlined below.
_________________

There are lots of Internet sites which tell you how to cleanse your house, but I have never found any which have given me as detailed information as I am going to give you. My friend and colleague, Sensitive Patty Wilson, told me how to do this when I started working on murder cases years ago, and I started getting “the icky stuff” in my home. It really works.

And before I go any further, I will tell you I am a Christian, and you must have faith in God for this to work. Prayer is highly underestimated, and it does work. We get what we ask for; we really do! You must have faith, and you will be protected. I have known a couple of very nice Wiccans who also cleanse homes. The cleansing has worked well by bringing the good energy of mother earth into several homes. However, I was contacted when a demonic entity could not be expelled this way. My theory is that the Wiccans were relying on that which was good and of the earth, not the creator of all things earthly. God is the ultimate good, and to Him we must go for all things pure and good. No matter what your religion, if you do not believe in that which is higher than yourself, this won’t work. Every religion has its own way of expelling negative energy, and asking the creator, the Universal being of love and light, to do the work. This is God, no matter what name She/He is given, and with faith it will work.

If you feel that a person is in need of an exorcism, that is reason to call the Catholic Church. There are dedicated priests and an arm of the church which deals with exorcisms. There are many stages, and an exorcism takes time, observation, and much documentation. My purpose here is to explain how to cleanse your home of negative energy.

__________

In preparation for the cleansing, you should be well rested. I cannot stress this enough. You may become exhausted doing this, depending on what you encounter. Working with spirits takes a lot of energy. Whether you realize you are expending energy or not, you are. Spirits use energy to communicate, manifest, and exist in this realm. Whether they hang out near a fuse box, a water source, or you, they are pulling energy to exist. Don’t be surprised if you are very tired after the cleansing.

What you’ll need:
A supportive friend
Sea salt
Prayers, hymns, Bible or prayer book

You may want some sea salt, or some people use sage. Holy water is fine too. But honestly, I’ve never seen an entity scared of sage, or sea salt for that matter. It is the prayer which works. However, I believe using these are metaphors for what you want to accomplish. Spirits will see and hear you and know your intention.

I am highly allergic to burning sage, so I never use it. I do use sea salt on occasion because sea salt is a cleansing agent, and that is the point of the cleansing. I have holy water, and I will use it on occasion to mark doors and entrances when I encounter a demonic entity, but that is not common.

The size of your house and your property will determine how much sea salt you will need, but for a three bedroom house on a half acre, you may want to put about 1/4 to a half cup of sea salt in a small open container to use. If you have a farm with a lot of acreage, you’ll need more, of course. We are going to make sure all of your property is cleansed.

Some people use the Bible, which is always a good source. I also use a book called Armor of God by Dave Juliano. Armor of God is a compilation of many prayers, used by a variety of Christian belief systems, to protect oneself and others from negative entities or evil spirits. There are prayers for personal protection and the protection of others, as well as prayers for spiritual welfare, exorcism and deliverance. You may want the book just as a good resource whether you are asking for protection as you sleep, or as an aid for spiritual assistance. However, this is not yet available as a download, so you’ll want to order it in time to receive it in the mail before the cleansing.

I like to have someone with me, and I have suggested you have a supportive friend.
Your support person can help you feel when the room feels lighter, happier, or has a different emotion. And, you have someone to help if you need it. I came across a situation where I needed help, and I was very glad to have the support. At the Tillie Pierce House in Gettysburg, I was checked into the blue room for the night. I walked in and right back out, as I could barely breathe. The owners of the inn explained they had a few “runners” from that room, or in other words, guests who literally ran out of the inn in the middle of the night, never to return. Of course, every innkeeper always thinks it is fun to put me in the haunted room. Fun for them, not me!

As I investigated the situation, I found a soldier who had never crossed over into Heaven. This ghost was not in his right mind, and he was hiding with no inclination that he was dead. He was a Union soldier behind Confederate lines, and he was scared he would be caught. When he heard my Southern accent, he roared at me to “GET OUT”, and then he just disappeared. I discovered he was going directly upstairs into the attic and hiding under the rafters. I couldn’t reason with him, and I did not sleep in that room that night. I like my rest and it is no fun to be demeaned. If I wanted that, I have teenagers at home.

The next night, a group of paranormal investigators came to film there, and they didn’t have a psychic, so they asked me to help them figure out what was going on. I was having an event at the Ghosts of Gettysburg Headquarters next door, so during a break, I stopped by the Tillie Pierce House with another investigator who I was working with for the weekend. I went into the attic, and the nasty spirit was once again hiding under the rafters, and he wouldn’t leave. He screamed at me to leave him alone, so I did not approach him, but I explained that I was there to help him. He calmed down, and relieved, I shifted my weight onto my left foot. The board was not nailed down and as my ankle turned, I fell straight down through the attic floor and into the room below. I looked like a wishbone as one foot was stuck above my head in the attic, and the other foot was hanging below the ceiling, well into the blue room below. I remember seeing the carpet come up at me. The other investigator with me was a burly 6 foot 3, and he reached down, scooped me up, and pulled me back into the attic. I think that was the paranormal feat in this story. The entire embarrassing moment was caught on film, much to my chagrin. So, another person is always helpful, if only for safety- or rescue!

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The Cleansing:

Before you begin, say a prayer of protection. Ask God to come around you and protect you, and that His angels may shield you and those with you from any negative energy during the process. You can also visualize a bubble of white light around you. Ask Him to help you to bring love, and expel any negative energy.

With a container of sea salt in tow, go to the bottom floor of the home, whether this is a basement or first floor. You do not need to go into a crawl space. You will walk room by room through the floor, and in each room, you will walk the perimeter and sprinkle a tiny amount of salt. While you sprinkle the salt, you will say in an assertive voice, “I command all destructive entities leave this person, this place, and this property, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Once you say this, begin saying it again. You will say it hundreds of times, by the end of the cleansing.   Be sure to say it as I have because if there are negative entities, you don’t want to play semantics games with them. Ordering them off the people, place, and property makes it clear you want them gone from everyone and everything. I’ve made that mistake before, and that’s another learning experience I won’t discuss here.
Continue from room to room, and don’t forget the closets. You don’t want any energy to remain. Sprinkle salt behind dressers and around the perimeter of the closets and utility rooms.
When you have finished with that floor, say a hedge prayer from the Armor of God, and/or pray the Lord’s prayer. You will feel a sense that the room is lighter.

The hedge prayer asks God to put a hedge around the home to protect those within. I also pray that any energy may leave, but no new energy may enter. I tend to put the sign of the cross with my hand, above windows and doors and pray nothing will enter through those passages.

After step 3, I go to the next higher floor and repeat the steps, and then the next higher floor and repeat the steps until the house is cleansed. Then, walk outside and do the same around the perimeter of the house, and then again around the perimeter of the property. I pray and ask God to put angels at the corners of the property to keep everyone within safe.

Remember, these are spiritual prayers and God will make sure that unwanted spirits do not set foot on the property. So, please don’t be mad at me if your mother-in-law continues to drop in unexpectedly.

Throughout the cleansing, if you feel that you need extra help, more time in an area, or if there is something which still will not leave, please pray. Just stop anywhere you feel is necessary and let your senses be your guide. Say prayers, demand it leave and white light and angels come. I have called on archangel Michael in sticky situations with stubborn energy too. I have also been known to sing the children’s song, Jesus Loves Me when I can think of nothing else to say, or I’ve exhausted all the prayers I know.

On occasion, I visit locations where I feel something malevolent, and it is built up energy from arguing, rather than an entity. People at the location may have treated each other with anger and disrespect, and this energy becomes residual. If you are helping someone with the cleansing, and if you have reason to believe there is something malevolent and it is not your house, please be sure to instruct the owners to stand their ground and be assertive, without being violently angry.   Some negative entities see anger as a smorgasbord and may hop on for the free meal. The energy which accompanies anger is strong, and it can fuel a negative entity instead of turn it away. Do not taunt the negative entity, and do not try to hold a two way conversation. In this situation, without the aide of a medium, use your senses. You do not need to know what exactly you are dealing with, if you do what I have explained. Do not try to use a pendulum, by any means, and do not try to get evp once you have determined its nature. Just tell it to leave, and call on God for help.

__________

Also, after the cleansing, there are things which can be done to make sure the house is light and has good energy, especially if there was good cause to cleanse the house to start.
Don’t argue
Play happy music to change the vibration, such as Hildegard Von bingan
Do not watch crime dramas or particularly violent movies
Continue to live peacefully, and continue to pray to God to be with you in your home.

Every night I pray and ask God for angels to stand guard around the beds of my children. And when I pray, they sleep at peace from other-worldly interference.

Once when cleansing my own house, I heard crying in a closet in my daughter’s room. When I went upstairs, I realized that the ghost of the little girl in our home was scared I was trying to make her leave. Since she was only six when she died, and she never crossed into Heaven, her child-like mind was without the ability to understand my intention. I explained to her that I meant for “destructive” entities to leave, and that meant bad stuff, and she was a good little girl. She was relieved, and I learned to be sure and explain what I am going to do before I begin.

I have learned from experience that ghosts are often confused about where to go, so I try to clarify. Since I live on an old plantation, I am the intruder, and I have told the ghosts who lived here previously, that they can stay. However, new ghostly visitors have to go. I want to know who is in my house all the time. Most of the time, the existing ghosts ask them to leave, but there are times when I have to actively take charge. You may want to do the same as you cleanse.

I often start the cleansing with a prayer to protect myself, and I may say a hedge prayer. Then I talk to all the ghosts and explain what my intentions are and why. I express what the owners want in terms of who must leave, and who can stay. I then tell the ghosts that if they want to go to Heaven, I will cross over everyone at the conclusion of the cleansing, and they can meet me at a specified location. I say this on every floor I cleanse, and I ask them to tell their friends. After I am done, I cross them into Heaven. And those instructions will be in another blog, if you so desire.

Good luck!

Many blessings,
Laine

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 19:25:00 +0000

"Perhaps they are not stars in the sky, but rather openings where our loved ones shine down to let us know they are happy."
Merry Christmas and many blessings,
Laine Crosby

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:14:00 +0000

“Every man feels instinctively that all the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single, lovely action.”
- James Russell Lowell (1816 - 1891)

I have felt there is one spirit of love which runs through our lives and touches us, bringing us together with those we love, and making sure that we are not separated from those we have lost. I miss my parents terribly this time of year, and I hold on to the memories of Christmas past, knowing that Momma and Daddy, and my adoring grandparents are not far from us all, especially in this season when love abounds.

This spirit of love is like a river, sometimes strong, and sometimes full of rocks and other obstacles, as I was reminded last weekend at our home. Rarely is there quiet time with the phone ringing, the dog barking, and my twins clamoring. I told myself I would never buy anything to add to the chaos, and then the Wii was created and the spirit of Christmas was in the air.

After searching every Target, Wal-Mart and gaming store in this part of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia- to no avail, I discovered the Wii Fit shipment arrives at our Target store on Saturday nights. I had planned to arrive at Target upon their opening on Sunday, but thankfully, my husband Chris volunteered and insisted. He is, after all, one of those morning people.

Chris arrived at Target at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, half an hour before the store opened. He parked amongst numerous idling cars in the lot, and upon exiting his Hyundai, he was alerted by the crescendo of mini-van doors slamming that he had better make haste before women of all shapes and sizes pummeled him on their mad dash to the entrance. Chris made it there fourth, and then waited a half-hour in the sub-freezing temperatures. Had I been there, I would have begun a diatribe to the group on the spirit of Christmas and my disgust at the human race. But not Chris. He was silently focused on his win. By 8:00 a.m., there was a line of 10 people on the top floor entrance (where electronics is located), and longer lines had formed on the other floors.

As the Target employee opened the doors, he pointed at each individual and counted, "One, two, three, four, five, six - all the rest of you have to come back next week- we only got six in the shipment," without asking anyone why they were there.

One of Chris’ competitors yelled, "I am buying TWO!," and the Target referee said, "You get ONE this week, and you come back NEXT week for the other one!"

One woman commented, “I don't know if I want one until I see it," and three people screamed, "I GET HERS!"

"Only ONE to a customer!" rang out in the chilled air as the doors were flung open and the race was on!

Everyone in line ran as fast as they could to break ahead of the others. A woman untrained in bargain basement sales ran for a cart, but she soon realized it was dead weight and shoved it down a gift wrapping aisle. Two competitors ran down another aisle to grab the Wii Fit from the display. They will have to return next Sunday.

Chris, being a man of logic, figured it would lack sound reasoning for Target to lock the Wii Fits in the display, so he made a beeline to the cash register in the electronics department. He ran as fast as I have never seen him run before. He may have jumped a cart and even slid, I don't know. Having been fourth in line, he had now jockeyed for the prime #3 position when he arrived at the register and found six Wii Fits lined up neatly for the top six seeded competitors.

As he was checking out, the other competitors were arriving from the lower floors. Those who had mistakenly waited for the elevator, those who rode the escalator, and those who ran up the "down" escalator to pass the others. The loud speaker was blaring, "WE HAVE NO MORE Wii FITS!.... WE HAVE NO MORE Wii FITS!... THERE IS NO REASON TO RUN ...WE HAVE NO MORE Wii FITS!"

Chris made it home before I even knew he had left. His hair was a bit messy, but he had a smile on his face and a Target bag in hand.

Some women love their husbands because of the roses they send, the romantic dinners, or the diamond anniversary bands. My husband beat the president of the PTA in a race in Target, just to bring home a Wii Fit for our children’s Christmas present. It doesn't get any better than that! May you all experience the true spirit of love this Christmas, and a holiday filled with all the love, hope, family, and chaos we’ll long to remember when we can no longer jump the aisles.

Merry Christmas,
Laine

A Beautiful Mistake

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:56:00 +0000

My fears over the past few years have changed drastically. I am now afraid I will be arrested. One of these days, I am certain a police officer will arrest me for erratic driving while inebriated, but she will be wrong. I will be driving while being a hot potato.

This is because when my twins are riding in the car with me, they demand to listen to the Wiggles. If you are unfamiliar with the Wiggles, they are an Australian Group of middle-aged men who dress up in Star Trek-like uniforms of various floral colors, and sing and dance. I saw them in concert once, but please don’t tell anyone. I felt guilty for laughing because somehow, they had to know, we parents were not laughing with them.

It’s not just the Wiggles I’m required to dance to in the minivan. B-I-N-G-O can send me fetching the Excedrin, and after those Christmas CDs in January, I have been known to relocate the wine to the top shelf of the fridge. Other moms seem to understand this. One of my best girlfriends is a little tea pot.

If you asked about my biggest fear on October 7, 2004, I would have told you it was being psychic. My psychic abilities came flooding into me that month, and I’ve never since been quite the same. I could see and hear ghosts just like Melinda Gordon, and then God added clairvoyance to the recipe and I was really half-baked. I couldn’t make it stop.

I asked God to take it all away, and if I was meant to have it, I asked Him to give it back as I could deal with it. Being able to see ghosts so vividly scared me the most, so I have only regained a portion of this ability, and I’ve accepted it kicking and screaming. I am writing my story for a book I hope to complete by the end of the year, but for many others who write me today with similar tales, I want to offer a lifeline.

I saw my first ghost when I was a little girl, and it scared me. When I told my parents, they told me I was imaginative and I should go sing Silent Night and not mention it again. Remember, this was an era when mothers didn’t worry about sending their kids to school without a gun, and married T.V. couples slept in separate beds and reproduced by being imaginative. So, I didn’t mention it again. I learned to ignore, make excuses, and fit-in. That is, for about thirty years, give or take a few.

I’m sure my parents shared the same ideals as the parents of others who write me now about their gift (it took me two full years to stop calling it a curse). When parents are not accepting of their psychic child, or are scared themselves, our perception as the psychic child is that the world will feel the same. I’m not sure that’s far off the mark, either. I also know that having psychic abilities suddenly, or having psychic experiences can be terrifying and very draining.

I didn’t want this, I didn’t ask for this, and more than anything, I wanted to get rid of it. However, I only found books on how to become more psychic. At the time, I found it humorous that so many people actually wanted this ability for themselves. To me, it proved there were a lot of people who were not in their right mind, and they were not the psychic ones! I even thought about moving, but then I heard a voice say I would have this ability no matter where I lived; it was now mine. I had no choice but to surrender.

Here is my best recommendation for your surrender:

Prayer. Prayer is highly underrated, and it works. I prayed to learn how to control this ability, and I was taught through feelings and experiences. I also pray for guidance, wisdom, strength, and protection.

There are those who ask me whether they should go to London or Paris, or if they should take out loans for their businesses, or if they should leave their husbands. My advice is always the same- pray. I’m no one’s On-Star, and I can’t guide folks through every turn just because I have psychic abilities, and I wouldn’t if I could. Prayer is the answer.

Have Faith and Do Not Fear. Fear is an emotion that is attractive to negative entities. When you begin to fear, make a conscious decision not to let it overcome you, and then put it out of your mind. If you pray to your higher power, and have faith that nothing bad will happen to you, you are protected. Faith and prayer are inextricably linked, and the application of faith and prayer goes far beyond protection.

Accept Yourself. We live our lives for a reason. The world is a university and a playground, and if we knew what to expect we would never grow and learn. Take the punches and grow wiser as a result. If your sister wants to shun you, remember, you can say,”I told you so” for an eternity.

Surrender. Inherent in surrendering is self acceptance, but it goes even further. We have to learn we can’t control everything in our lives, and we have to stop fighting what we can’t control. Doing so holds us back in reaching our goals in this life.

Take Control. While surrendering is letting go of our control issues, taking control of our abilities and surroundings is important and distinctly different. Many people who contact me have ghosts that won’t leave, or who frighten them. You can’t get rid of a ghost by asking it to leave if it is convenient for them. You must take control and tell the ghosts in a courteous, yet stern manner, they are not allowed to frighten you and that they have to leave, if this is a problem for you or your children. Remember, ghosts were people too, and you wouldn’t just let anyone in your house to hang out during dinner. Ghosts are not pets either, and most of the time, they get the message and move on. If it is not a human entity bothering you, that is cause for bigger guns which I will not discuss here.

Journaling. I would suggest keeping a journal to catalog what is happening to you. Writing about our experiences helps us to accept them, work through them, and let go. You will always have them to reflect upon and see how far you’ve come, and how you’ve grown. Experiences that do not make sense today may have clarity next year.

Meet Like Minds. Find people you can trust who understand your abilities and will listen. There are hundreds of groups on MySpace, FaceBook, IamHaunted and many other sites. You may meet people through paranormal groups, religious groups, or events. Share with those whom you trust and those who won’t judge you.

Read. The more you read, the more you’ll understand about the other side and what is happening to you. A great place to start is a trilogy by Elsa Barker. In 1912, this young woman was minding her own business when she became suddenly psychic. Through automatic writing, the spirit of an acquaintance, Judge David Hatch, took her pen and began to write through her hand. It wasn’t long before she could hear, and she scribed three books which were big news in the day, detailing life on the other side. You can download the books for free on my site at www.investigativemedium.com/resources . I also recommend authors John Edwards, Gary Schwartz, Betty Eadie, Raymond Moody, and of course my book, available in 2009.

Meditate. Prayer and meditation helps us make sense of the messages we receive. Although it can be difficult at first, meditation is important because it helps alter our state of consciousness to bring us closer to the other side. Meditation brings discipline, concentration and practice with our abilities, which helps us have more clarity and less confusion.

There are videos and documentaries you can also watch on the Ghost Channel (www.GhostChannel.TV), and I typically have my events and lectures posted on my site, investigativemedium.com, if you are ever interested in coming and learning more in the Mid-Atlantic area.

Just know you are not alone, and you can learn to control your abilities through prayer and meditation. You may soon find that like me, you are the beneficiary of a beautiful mistake, and I wouldn’t trade my gift for anything in the world.

Communicating with Family!

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:15:00 +0000

Attached is an article by Janet Bernice Jeys which appeared in the September/October issue of Ancestry Magazine. Janet did a lovely job writing the article, and I am happy because it conveys what I feel is of great importance- remembering our personal history as well as our country's.

My father, C.P. Crosby, fought in the U.S. Army in World War II and later was a Civil War historian, and this week is his birthday. He is now on the "other" side, but I am sure he is pleased that perhaps others are inspired to set a place for their Daddy or Great-Grand Daddy to remember him at the dinner table from time to time. There will be peach cobbler at mine, and we will all be grateful to this man from rural Mississippi who made the world a better place.

I have attached the article below in case you are interested.

Believe!
Lainey

Communcating with Family
by Janet Bernice Jeys

LAINE CROSBY IS A MOM. She goes to swim meets, attends church with her family, volunteers at the elementary school, and regularly burns pizza. She lives a completely ordinary life, except for one little thing; as an investigative medium, Laine does her family research for folks who contact her from the other side.

Though her roots lie in Atlanta, these days Laine, husband Chris, and their twins live in Maryland on property where a plantation from the 1700s once stood. One afternoon Laine saw several men in the field with straw hats, white shirts and suspenders. Later that day, in the midst of a fitful nap, Laine heard a sweet, soft voice say, "I had a son the same age as yours."

"He is my son and not yours," Crosby answered, realizing she sounded a bit unbalanced.

"I know he is your son," the woman said.

Now fully awake, Laine saw the image of a beautiful dark-skinned woman. She was peaceful, composed, and her name was Jannette. Crosby's search of records eventually revealed that Jannette was a slave of plantation owner William George Robertson. A nanny to his 11 children, she died giving birth to Robertson's twins.

This was only the beginning.

Living only an hour from the Gettysburg battlefield, Crosby has visited with both Union and Confederate soldiers, men who don't want to be forgotten or who have no sense that they have died. "No one is unimportant," Crosby says. "Love binds us to the next world. God is right there and answers prayers of all people, living or dead. Prayer is more important than most of us realize."

Crosby now works on missing person cases with police and families. She also helps authors, historians, and archaeologists uncover what happened long ago in specific locations. She and her business partner appeared on the "Ghosts of Gettysburg" episode of the Travel Channel's Mysterious Journeys. They also host an Internet talk show, Ghost Talkers.

But ask Laine and she'll say that she mostly takes orders from the "other" side. She describes herself as little more than a mouthpiece, not much different from a television or radio. Says Laine, "As I experience information, I do the best I can to make sense of it, define it, and pass it on."

Mark Nesbitt regarding Mysterious Journeys on The Travel Channel

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:59:00 +0000

The following post is from Author/Historian Mark Nesbitt. Mark has asked me to post this on his behalf to clarify misconceptions of our appearance on the Travel Channel.

Since the Travel Channel's Mysterious Journeys segment on the Ghosts of Gettysburg first aired in October of 2007, I have received a few e-mails that have voiced concerns, and dozens of others that were positive and asked for more information on paranormal investigations, equipment, etc. The concerns seem to be thematic with 1) how, as a historian, I work with our medium, 2) how programs are made for television and, 3) the historical research done for and by our medium.

As to how I work with Investigative Medium Laine Crosby:

One of the complaints was that our Investigative Medium, Laine, "didn't know her history" and I didn't correct her when her history didn't agree with history available on the world wide web.

First and foremost, I never tell Laine anything about the history of the site we are to visit. That would negate any real psychic information received at the site. In most cases, I try to set up classic "double-blind" experiments: I'll choose five or six historic sites, then randomly visit only two or three. That way, even I don't know where we will end up ... so there is no way she can "study-up" on the history of the site and "fake" getting historically correct information. I try never to react to what she comes up with during an investigation- sometimes to the point of not answering her questions and appearing rude. A classic way many well-known psychics get their "other worldly" information is actually by reading the reactions of their audience. If I were to react and "tip off' a psychic/medium when she was wrong historically, it would help her to eliminate what she "receives."

The fact that Laine "messed up" the history by appearing to say that Isaac Trimble had been shot in the side and died in that room is only proof that she hadn't studied about the Lady Farm or Isaac Trimble. But that is not what she said during the actual filming of the segment.

The editing process in television productions:

The production company for the Travel Channel spent two weeks in Gettysburg and shot approximately 70 hours of tape-all for a 45 minute (minus 15 or so minutes of time for commercials) program. It wasn't Isaac Trimble, the Confederate general, with whom Laine was speaking, but the editing done in California made it appear that way. What was edited out of Laine's reading was that after she got the name "Isaac Trimble," who was a relatively famous person who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg, she went on to hear that the person with whom she was communicating was NOT Trimble himself, but had been commanded by Trimble, and was from Georgia. At Gettysburg, the man had been shot in the torso. Paranormal investigators must word their questions very carefully. I asked, "Did he die here in this room?" Laine became incredibly sad at that moment and said, "He didn't know he had died." I had committed a grave error in the field of paranormal studies: You never tell the spirit with whom you are communicating that they have died because many are not aware of that fact. That explained the look on Laine's face as she heard the man say, "You mean I'm dead?" (It is indeed a mysterious place, the land of the dead.)

The remarkable thing is that Laine came up with the name "Isaac Trimble," a name she'd never heard before. I remember her struggling with it as the information came to her: "Trem ... Tremble ... " A long pause. She asked, "What is the first name, please?" Another long pause as she listened intently. "Isaac? Isaac Tremble" She listened and that was the name she heard. (All of this was edited out.) I had heard of Isaac Trimble, of course, but didn't connect him with the Lady Farm. Laine also got "Earl." I thought she was saying "Ewell," but she may have been coming up with "Early"- Jubal A. Early, another Confederate officer associated with Ewell's 2nd Corps, and another remarkable psychic "hit" by Laine.

The drawbacks of using the internet for historical research:

The internet has given virtually everyone almost instantaneous access to general facts.
Unfortunately, not all historical sources are available there. After concern was raised about Trimble's psychic "presence" at the Lady Farm, I checked my personal library, compiled over the last 30 years as a writer and researcher and containing much from my 6 years as a National Park Service Ranger/Historian at Gettysburg. I found some interesting things.

According to Trimble's own Civil War Diary (located in the Maryland Historical Society archives and published in the MD Historical Magazine, Vol. XVII in 1922), he was operated on by "Drs McGuire, Black & Hays" (Trimble's quote) on Saturday, July 4. McGuire (Hunter H.) first served as a line officer with the 2nd Virginia, "Stonewall Brigade," then became Stonewall Jackson's surgeon until Jackson's death in May of 1863. During the re-organization of the 2nd Corps, McGuire served as Chief Surgeon for the 2nd Corps under Ewell at Gettysburg. Would he have bivouacked with old friends in the Stonewall Brigade (on the Lady Farm) at Gettysburg, just a few weeks after Jackson's death? I think it very likely.

We know McGuire was already in the vicinity because he visited another of Jackson's former staff members who had been wounded, Henry Kyd Douglas, at a farm on the Hunterstown Road, just a few miles away, on July 3. (I Rode with Stonewall, by H. K. Douglas). McGuire did not operate on Douglas or apparently spend much time with him according to Douglas; just a quick visit, then McGuire moved on.

A second confirmation to Trimble's diary is in McGuire's biography in the Southern Historical Society Papers. It states that McGuire amputated Trimble's leg. Dr. Harvey Black, who was named as one of Trimble's surgeons, was also one of Jackson's surgeons, serving in the 4th Virginia Regiment, Stonewall Brigade, Johnson's Division, which was bivouacked on the Lady Farm. Trimble, having been wounded in 1862, was without a command before Gettysburg. He attached himself to Ewell's Corps on June 28, no doubt re-acquainting himself with his fellow soldiers in the corps. Trimble had commanded a brigade earlier in the war in Ewell's Division and almost got the command of Johnson's Division before Gettysburg. We also know that on the evening of July 1, Trimble claims to have had a very famous contretemps with Ewell about attacking Culp's Hill wherein he threw down his sword and exclaimed that he refused to serve under such an officer, linking Trimble with Ewell/Johnson and Johnson's headquarters at the Lady Farm. Although Trimble was wounded in Pickett's Charge on July 3, would he have requested to be operated on by surgeons he knew and trusted? As a high-ranking officer he, no doubt, would have been accommodated.

According to Gregory Coco in his book, A Vast Sea of Misery, a guide to the field hospitals at Gettysburg after the battle, Trimble's leg was amputated at the Samuel A. Cobean Farm just north of Gettysburg on the Carlisle Road. What Laine had picked up on was someone talking about Trimble, perhaps the soldier who had been wounded in the side.

One e-mail correspondent was irate and insisted that Laine's picking up on Trimble's energy was impossible, because Trimble didn't die at the Lady Farm. Trimble did not get command of Major General William Dorsey Pender's Division until after that officer was wounded on July 2, and so was likely with his old division, at the Lady Farm, until then, or off petitioning Lee for the command he finally received. As an officer he would have had access to the Lady farmhouse. Did he leave a psychic imprint there? Perhaps. It is well known in paranormal studies, that one's psychic energy can be imbedded or imprinted on a site without one having to die there.

As well known as Trimble was in Johnson's Division, and especially with two of the three surgeons who had amputated his limb associated with the units bivouacked at the Lady Farm, it is very likely his name would have at least been mentioned there. If so, his men, some of whom he had once commanded, may have inquired about him, especially if they had once served under him. It was not Trimble's energy, but someone he had once commanded that Laine picked up on. (This, as I mentioned before, was edited out of the final cut.)

In addition, no one was more surprised than I when I first saw the program and they talked about G.W. Sandoe being a Confederate soldier and being killed near Cashtown. In reality, Sandoe, who was one of the first soldiers to be killed in the battle, was a Federal and was killed south, not west, of Gettysburg. The mistake is a result of filming in Gettysburg and editing in Hollywood, where there are precious few Gettysburg historians!

The film crew was a highly professional group and spent 2 weeks putting 70 hours of tape "in the can." However, in the editing process things got cut, turned around, and generally re-arranged.

Fortunately, most of the viewers (Travel Channel programs get some 77 million) understood the program for what it was: a program on the mysteries of paranormal phenomena. They also appreciated the good things that resulted from the program: Five never before filmed haunted venues in Gettysburg were brought to light; that Scott Crownover shared with them one of the biggest break-throughs in the field of paranormal research in decades: his technique of taking photographs of spirits in the daylight; that Laine accomplished the incredible feat of correctly identifying (by psychically "talking" to him) Mr. "Culbertson" a local soldier whose name appears in the historical records of the men from Gettysburg who fought in the Civil War; and finally, that Gettysburg remains one huge laboratory for paranormal research and not just an obscure historical event many people (sadly) merely gloss over.

The bottom line is that this was "Mysterious Journeys" on the "Travel Channel "and not the "History Channel." The emphasis therefore was more on the paranormal aspects of the story. Some historical latitude is in order. My philosophy is that whatever gets people interested in the history of Gettysburg and the Civil War is productive.

Mark Nesbitt

Chestnut Lodge

noreply@blogger.com (Laine) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 00:39:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of working with Investigative Reporter Stacey Cohan of Fox News last Tuesday. Stacey developed a story on Chestnut Lodge, which aired on Fox 5 News in the Washington, D.C. area on Friday, February 22, at 10:00 pm. Chestnut Lodge in Rockville, Maryland, was first a hotel and then a mental hospital and dates back to 1886. Its doors closed in 2001, and it is now being developed as condominiums, priced over a million dollars each. A high price to pay for a very haunted home.

Stacey wondered if the building was haunted, and she called me to investigate. The developer refused to let me on the property, and I rather enjoyed the challenge since my strongest psychic ability is remote viewing. Even some of the work I do with historian, author and paranormal investigator Mark Nesbitt has been across the miles, and he writes about our work in his latest book, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville: The Field Guide to Civil War Battlefields.

I remote viewed the property and drew pictures before I arrived, and I viewed more when I stood in the rain at a distance from the building. Not only was there a nurse and female patient who looked out of the window on the left front corner on the middle floor, but there were many other spirits inside. On the very top floor, there were 3 spirits in the middle of the building on the left. The building looked like it had been ransacked with large beams of wood falling down, and trash, plastic sheets and soda cans strewn about inside. I believe one of the spirits on the top floor was a male nurse or orderly and there was a suicide or murder. Either a person hung himself, jumped, or was thrown out a window, because I see a brief view of someone suspended in air, and this vision relates to his death.

In the basement, if you were to view the entire floor like the face of a clock, with 12:00 being in the far middle back, at about 2:00, there is a concentration of energy from extreme emotions. As I look back through time, I see a man who does not understand where he is or what is happening to him. He has wires attached to his head and he is sitting in a chair with a tall back. There are four people standing around him in white coats and two men who appear to be managing his care rather than helping. A young blonde woman comes down the stairs or out of the elevator- I can't see which is behind the open door. She screams hysterically and tries to get to the man in the tall chair that has no idea what is happening. A slightly plump man in his thirties, with dark hair, trips over an obstacle as he runs after her to stop her. I see him at the point where he grabs her and I assume her takes her back upstairs.

During the interview with Stacey, a spirit walked from the building out to talk to me. I had been told by my guides in meditation this morning that a spirit would approach me and want to follow me home. When I was leaving, I was supposed to tell him to find his mother, and then he would no longer follow me. The spirit told me he was trying to find his brother, who was inside, and he needed my help. He told me the name Mark Reichard, and I am unsure of the spelling. Mark Reichard was either his name or his brother's name, I do not remember which. The spirit told me that his brother was with a secretive government agency that was holding him at Chestnut Lodge, but that he wasn't mentally ill, and he needed to be saved. My impression was that his brother had been kept there years before because the government was trying to hide him for his own safety. The spirit told me that his brother looked like he could be from another country, and he spoke the language fluently, as if the other country had been his home. His brother had dark skin and dark hair, and he mentioned "Bay of Pigs" and "Cold War", although I could not understand exactly what country he was referencing. He implied that his brother had been a loyal spy and the government had turned against him and held him so he would not break and tell his secrets. The poor spirit was desperate for help, and I even used dowsing rods to confirm answers to some questions.

When it was time for me to leave, the spirit followed me to my car and I soon realized although he was of no great concern to me, that he was going to follow me home. I told him that he needed to return to his mother. We talked in the car and I told him he could not come home with me to my family because his mother needed him and he must now comfort her. He told me I was right, and he thanked me three times and left by passing through the passenger door.

Stacey tells me that it is rumored the CIA use to have people at Chestnut Lodge and may have held interrogations, I believe. Of course, this is denied by the CIA, but if they confirmed, they wouldn't be the CIA, would they?

Please be sure to watch this excellent story by Stacey Cohan, available through clicking the blog title above or the word "watch" below.

Watch

Believe!

Laine Crosby