Category Archives: Life on Lake George

WHAT FEAR IS STILL KEEPING YOU FROM YOUR FREEDOM

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Beloved,

I am just realizing that my spiritual journey back to myself began many years ago. I was “terrified” of spiders as my older brother used to torture me with them. One Sunday I was at the beach with friends and I was lying down on a blanket with my young toddler so he would take a nap. Suddenly, I saw a spider crawling on his back and I just got up and ran away from him. It was instinctual with no forethought. Of course, my son was startled and ran after me and that made me run even faster. I finally took a breath and realized I had terrorized my own son. How could a mother run away when her son was in danger? I was mortified and ashamed of my action and it caused me to look at my own fears. If my love for my son was not enough to protect him, I needed to do something about FEAR.

We were living in a project (low income housing) and I had no dryer so I had to hang clothes outside. When they froze, I had to bring them back in and hang them in a hallway so they could thaw. Of course, this dampness drew many spiders especially daddy-long-legs which were the scariest to me of all spiders. When I saw one, I would take a deep breath and run for one of my husband’s shoes as I could not bear to use my own shoes because then I would need to wear them. It took two years for me to conquer that fear enough to use my own shoes to kill them. But I DID IT! My love for my son enabled me to have the courage to face my biggest fear. ) Today, as a Reiki Master, I honor all life even spiders)

I then, one at a time, looked at my fears and faced them down but with LOVE. Love for myself as I was not truly free until each and every one was conquered. Right now, I am facing down my fear of putting my face in the water. When I was around 8 or 9 years old, I was at a lake and I decided this was the day that I would reach the raft, I felt like I was strong enough to swim that distance. I did make the raft but every time I would put my hand on the stairs to climb up, some boys would push me away. They thought it was a game. I knew I was drowning as I just got too tired to stay afloat. I passed out and when I came too, I was alone on the raft. I have no idea how I got up on it, I am assuming that the boys realized I was in trouble and got me up there but then were too embarrassed to wait for me to come to.

Of course, I was too scared after that to ever go over my head in water. In fact, I could not float without a noodle, my feet needed to be able to touch ground. I just learned two weeks ago the secret to floating. Imagine all these years and I have not been able to float. A friend who I did not know was a swimming instructor in the past, told me to put my ears in the water. I tried it and my feet came right up. You are never too old to learn.

Ocean State Job Lot had wet suits for $20 and when they offered 25% off for seniors one week, I took a deep breath and bought one. I thought well, I have wasted $15 on other things so I was ready to try. I don’t go in cold water so I also do not have the freedom to go in the lake until August. Maybe this wet suit would solve that concern and fear. I went on line to find more info about them and when I went to try it on, the zipper would not come down. I have no idea why but it was stuck really tight, so I brought it back and got one with a zipper that worked, I tried it before I bought it. Was the Universe trying to tell me to not do this? I did not know but I had to try everything before I gave up. I managed to get it on and off which I felt good about but I still could not muster the courage to go into the lake with it on. That was when I received a booklet in the mail about the YMCA and I decided to give that a try.

I made up my mind that this summer I would swim in my own lake. Watching others swim with so much ease and freedom makes my heart sink. I joined the YMCA where they have two pools, one is a lap people kept at 81 degrees and over my head at one end and another warm pool which is not over my head but kept at 90 degrees. Two weeks ago, I began going to the warm pool to do exercises for arthritis and I just LOVE warm water.

I checked out the opportunities and found that I could take swimming lessons but it would have to be in the lap pool. I had my first lesson with three other people last Tuesday. I had done my research and had goggles and swimming cap and also ear plugs. My goggles were too tight and the cap kept pressing the ear plugs into my ears, very painful. On top of that my body would not stop shaking, I was so cold. I can hold my breath for quite a while as I meditate so I am used to that but he wanted us not to hold our breath but to blow bubbles out of our nose. I could hardly do that for any time at all so I kept breathing the water up my nose. It was not a fun experience, I will tell you that.

But I am stubborn and I try to keep the commitments I make to others and to myself. I was not ready to give up on my dream of swimming in my own lake this summer. I asked if I could wear my wetsuit next week and was told yes. You see, I have wanted to learn to swim for so long so I tried to think of all that would help me achieve that dream. In the meantime, I bought a cap that will fit over my ears so I don’t need ear plugs and I found and bought another pair of goggles which keeps the water out of my eyes. I have been practicing breathing through my nose every time I went to the warm pool for exercise. Either I practice before or after the exercise program. Yesterday, I finally realized that I could open my eyes under water and I felt a rush of freedom. I had been concentrating so much on breathing and I always closed my eyes under water so I never even realized that it would be safe to open my eyes. Talk about baby steps, it takes all these small steps to conquer any fear but most of all it takes commitment to yourself and your dreams.

WHAT FEAR IS STILL KEEPING YOU FROM YOUR FREEDOM?

Do you love yourself as much as this dog loved his family? You are worth it and you are loved.

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/dog-emerges-tahoe-forest-2-years-reunites-family/

Can you imagine being hugged by this young girl and feeling the love she has for you? Hug yourself and allow yourself to feel the love you have in your heart for the being that is you. You are worthy and you deserve the same love that you give to others.

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/girl-gives-hugs-suicide-prevention-walks/

You can change your perspective and become who you are really meant to be. If he can, so can YOU. See yourself as this child and know that you are taken care of and nurtured by some unlikely beings that are put on your path just for you to know how much you are loved. Even when they don’t appear exactly as you expected angels to look like.

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ex-con-saves-baby-side-georgia-road-plays-gospel-music-calm/

—
Love and Light

Mary Grace

http://www.IAmMaryGrace.com
http://www.TheWoundedChalice.com
http://www.waleson5.com/marygrace.html

ARE YOU READY FOR SUMMER?

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Beloved,

Hooray, we had sun for a couple of days last week. One day there was not much wind so I ventured out on the kayak, thoroughly enjoying the ease of movement and the peace and quiet of being alone on the lake. As I am going around the lake, looking at the houses that are not yet ready for summer, I wonder what is happening in the lives of the people who go with the unopened house or cottage. There has been a cottage that has never been used for the 16 years I have been here. There is tarp on the roof and the windows on the porch are broken and I often wonder what the story is behind the people.

Last year, one of my close neighbors on the lake, did not come down even once last year. This year, the pontoon boat is in the water and there are signs that the owners have been there. There is another house across the lake where they had sealed up the back of the house facing the lake in order to remodel but nothing was done last year and it looks deserted. My imagination conjures up that it must be very important to prevent them from coming to the lake to enjoy peace. I send my prayers to whoever is connected to the home. Of course, most of the homes are occupied and it is exciting to see the cottages which are usually summer homes, open up and you see the docks coming off the land and being put in the water in preparation of the traffic it will bear.

Only children have been in the lake so far, the water is still too cool for us adults to go in. Yet there have been a few water skiers and jet skiers braving the water. Our buoys are not put up yet to prevent the boats from coming too close to the swimming area. The dock needs repairing again; the ice breaks the end of it off every winter. Not while it is frozen but when it thaws as the ice floe moves around. We, the Lakeland Beach Club, will have our first meeting tomorrow morning to see what needs doing. We only have volunteers doing the maintenance like rototilling the beach, spreading the new sand and putting out the raft. Summer has begun, at least as far as the lake is concerned. Actually, summer begins in two weeks.

I am now not only gluten free and soy free, but dairy free and sugar free. I am spending a lot more time reading the labels in the grocery store and being surprised again and again by what is out there. I did find “OAT” milk without sugar and this week found an almond one without sugar. I also found a substitute butter that doesn’t taste bad at all. It is Earth Balance without soy so now at least I can have some butter taste on my toast which is made without gluten, soy, sugar or milk. That particular type of bread does not taste like bread and is much more fragile. The “fake” butter surprised me most of all. I’ll let you in on a secret, with all the restrictions I am feeling quite deprived so I am eating more “snacks”. I ate healthier and more natural before the last two restrictions. I am confident that in another month, the results of all of this will show that I can go back to just being gluten and soy free.

I was shocked when I came across this article. I knew I could not eat strawberries but I never understood why until I read this. I want to share it with you so you will be aware enough to make a free will choice of your own.

http://healingyou101-chemsens.blogspot.com/2014/06/when-is-organic-no-longer-organic.html

I know that the energy coming to earth right now is shaking up a lot of people and their preconceived plans for their future. All the things you did not want to look at, deal with, or even consider is coming into your awareness now. You are releasing all that no longer serves you even if it is painful to let it go (like me having to let go of making and enjoying my own yogurt for breakfast for over 30 years). The Universe is washing away all the things we think we need to make room for all the glorious new desires and dreams that we are allowing ourselves to have. It is painful and we humans do not like change. We would rather keep doing what we have always done; it is easier and requires no thinking. Watch and listen to this video and see if it pertains to you. Everything that shows up in our life is a gift for us even when we don’t think it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYQNwEaHaN8

And….if all of this info is too painful, just follow these instructions

http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1108552853158-220/Walt+Whitman.pdf

—
Love and Light

Mary Grace

http://www.IAmMaryGrace.com
http://www.TheWoundedChalice.com
http://www.waleson5.com/marygrace.html

WHAT MORE DOES EARTH HAVE TO SHOW US?

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Beloved,

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! This is the weekend that the lake comes fully alive. Yes, there have been some pontoon boats out on the lake already and one speed boat and a few kayaks (me, too). I had one beautiful day this week. When I get up in the morning, the water is usually so still that you can see the reflection in the water of all things. Usually, that calmness goes away quickly as the wind comes up and the day begins. This particular morning, the water was still calm after my prayers and meditation so I decided I would have a quickie breakfast and go out for a spin in my kayak. I had not done my exercise routine yet but decided to forego it for a trip around the lake. I always feel such a sigh of relief as I get into my kayak. It feels so freeing to be floating in the water (a kayak can sit in the water giving you the feeling of actually being IN the water rather than just on top).
After all the preparation, the water was still smooth. AS I went around the lake, I was noticing who has put their boats out, who has put out their ornaments on their decks or their furniture around the yard so they can sit and enjoy the water. As I went by the town beach, there were about 12 Canadian Geese on one end and a mother and father with 6 baby chicks (who were still yellow) on the other end. In a couple of days, they were on my beach and the chicks were a tan color.

There are still a lot of boats up on dry dock and many homes or cottages have not been prepared for the summer activity. After this weekend, most will be up and running and eagerly awaiting summertime and all of its activities. But for now, I am enjoying the pure bliss of the quiet and being alone on the lake. It is truly a meditation and I can be in my own world of nature. Even after I had gone all around the lake and was back on my own beach, I did not want to get out of the kayak so I allowed myself to just hang out and be blissful. Eventually, I came out and began planning on what I could do outside as the weather was still beautiful and the water was still smooth. I could hardly believe that the water was not rippling because that is a rarity. It turned out to be a day where the wind took a breather for the WHOLE day so I was able to get a lot of yard work done. To be truthful, I kept being drawn to go out on the water again because it was just so beautiful but my arm strength was being used to trim and pull the weeds and dandelions. When you live on the water, you still have a lot of work to do as you don’t just come here for a vacation without the responsibilities of it being your home.

Freedom is being alright with yourself and the world. A man named Michael Bernard Beckwith – The Rev is an inspiration for all of us, he takes me to the peaceful recognition of the magnificent life I have – no matter what appears to be happening. Watch and listen to a part of his album, Transcendance which is available through Amazon.

http://healthierliving.me/let-it-be-alright/

I am in awe of technology. There are so many things in this world that we are not aware of. Can you just imagine what is here and what is coming next? In my wildest dreams, I never conceived of all that I am seeing now. When I was child, we did not even have a telephone and the first TV I saw was in a store window where the owner would let us stay outside and watch and…..it was in black and white. It hardly seems possible what has been developed in my lifetime and what is yet to come. I need to stay young just so I can appreciate what humanity has to offer. Let us appreciate our freedom this weekend and what is yet to come for this magnificent planet. We are one species living on one planet, WE ARE ONE.

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/new-billboard-cleans-air-pollution/

For those of you who are interested in looking up check out EarthSky – meteor shower next week! Also a cute video of Dumbo the octopus!

On the night of May 23-24 – if predictions hold true – Earth might be sandblasted with debris from Comet 209P/LINEAR, resulting in a fine new meteor shower! THAT IS TONIGHT EVERYONE!

http://earthsky.org/earth/video-dumbo-octopus?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=91ad8b1f09-EarthSky_News&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-91ad8b1f09-393982933

I am in a state of AWE right now. What more does our planet Earth have to tell us and show us. How can I not believe in Miracles?

Have a happy and safe Memorial Day Weekend

—
Love and Light

Mary Grace

http://www.IAmMaryGrace.com
http://www.TheWoundedChalice.com
http://www.waleson5.com/marygrace.html