February 2022


Greetings and good afternoon from a bright and sunny Bitterroot Valley!  That glorious warmth is streaming through the new window in my kitchen above my sink.  I have lived in this home for over 30 years and only seen the neighbor’s roof and the street light on 8th street.  Now, standing flat-footed, I can see the swing set and picnic table and able to see grandkids playing in my back yard.  Such a simple thing can be such a rewarding pleasure.

            Without my kitchen for the last sixty-some days now, I have been eating on paper plates, walking sideways throughout my house, and putting up with constant mess.  In fact, I went to dinner with a new couple I’d met a few weeks ago.  Following dinner, I asked them if they would like to come over to my filthy house and continue our conversation and they happily agreed to do so.  I explained, “If you walk in and see the filth and clutter now – someday, when you return and see it neat and tidy, or should it be in a mess at all . . . you will remember the filth from the first visit and not be in judgment.”

            During this process, I made friends with my painter’s wife.   Michele, in her speaking of who she is, along with her gifts and passion for a business she is involved with highly intrigued me.  Being a food pusher myself and her business involving food interested me greatly.  Being without a sink, dishes, or a clean place to prepare any food around here – I listened intently as she spoke of freeze-dried food from “Thrive Life” Company.

            Michele had me over for lunch, fed me samples of fruits, veggies, and meats.  I was absolutely dazzled by how delicious they are.   I have ordered and eaten freeze-dried foods before from well-known companies and they would be “filler” and keep me alive, but extremely starchy.  Thrive Life foods are taken from the garden straight to the freeze dryer, packaged, and shipped.  I was extremely amazed, like I said, at how freshly delicious they tasted!

            I love to fondle food in slicing, dicing, and the reward of canning foods.  With these products, I wouldn’t be able to do that with the already pre-packaged foods.  I am not a big meat eater or even having large amounts of meat on hand in my freezer.  What I do have can easily get freezer-burned from non-use with me.  But, with Thrive Life, it is wonderful to be able to buy already-diced freeze-dried delicious chicken and the roast beef tasted like it just came out of the oven for Sunday dinner!  Like I said, I am dazzled by these products.

            It seems like, since Covid hit, that everyone is trying to persuade others with this or that gimmick of something or other.  Please know that I am not attempting to be a saleswoman today and trying to rope you into something.  I am just sharing something that I could put my “stamp of endorsement” on for YOUR well-being, should you feel attracted to what I am saying.  Plus, as usual, I have a spiritual message after I lead you in my long-winded storyline.

            This season’s Gun Show for the Bitterroot Valley was scheduled for Feb. 18-20.  Being a prepper, along with the supply chain interrupted due to Covid, Michele asked a few of her friends if they would like to join her in a booth at the fairgrounds to talk with people about this product.  I raised my hand immediately.  I am not a good “sit-around/lollygag kinda gal,” I told her.  But I would be willing to walk around, introduce myself and the product, and invite them to a food tasting party.  She and the other team members agreed to allow me to do so and I willingly volunteered to work full shifts for each of the three days of the Gun Show.

            Being an “over-achiever,” I arrived an hour early before the booth was even set up so I could speak to the vendors without interruption when the doors opened to the public.  For hours, I approached people and cordially invited them to taste free samples at the booth, fill out a ticket for a free on-going free raffle each day to be gifted with different food packages, and to attend a full-scale free food tasting party on February 26th here in Stevensville.  I had name-after-name signing up from my sincere, light-hearted delivery.

            On the second day of the Gun Show, I arrived a half hour early and set up the table.  The doors were opened to the public.  In my perfectly-attired outfit for a gun show, dressed in western hat, belt, boots and duster (coat,) I started walking the floor again.  Countless contacts were interested to sign up for the free raffle, the upcoming food tasting party, and looking forward to going to the table to get more information and samples from the seated ladies.

            Just before lunch, I approached a woman, “Hi!  My name is Gloria and I would like to cordially invite you to a free Thrive Life food tasting party next Saturday in Stevensville.”  She signed her name on the book so a follow-up RSVP call could occur, making sure how many guests would be coming so we would have enough food on hand to share.  I went to lunch.

            When I returned, I went to the booth and grabbed my notebook to venture out into the sea of people.  Walking up behind a woman, I said, “Excuse me . . .” and started my introduction.  The woman turned around and barked at me in a tone of great bother, “You have ALREADY talked to me about this.”

            Apologetically, I playfully said in a teasing tone, “Oh my gosh, I am sooo sorry.  I promise  – I am not stalking you!”  I apologized a second time and went through the crowd.  Returning to the table, Michele asked me to sit down.  She gave me the “bad” news.  The promoter for the Gun Show had told Michele that I had offended someone and insisted that I sit down and not approach any further public.

            The human part of me felt immediately pissed off.   No money was involved whatsoever, it was all offered freely.  Sarcastically, I sat there with my thoughts of how evil that woman was doing this to me.  I was such a menace to society . . . smiling, being fun-loving, passionate about something that is so great – and wishing them a wonderful day and to enjoy the Gun Show.  Yes . . . I can see where that woman thought I was a detriment to society through her Grumpy Smurfbutt eyes!  I wanted to go slap her to a peak and knock the point off!  (Sorry.  A quote my mom used to say when she thought us kids were being smart-mouthed.)

            So, I did as I was told.  I “turned my light off, zipped my lip, and sat quietly watching people pass by our booth without knowing how effective this product could be in their life.  I sat for an hour and had four to go before the Gun Show was going to be finished for the day.

            The joy that had flowed like a liquid river through me had become a non-moving stale puddle of yuck.  I had allowed this stranger to disrupt my inner peace.  I was no longer in service to God or man.

            Everyone has met a “Debbie Downer” at some point in their life.  It is truly a natural occurrence on this planet, and it is so sad when it occurs!  We immediately give them our power when we get put in a victim’s position.

            After an hour of sitting quietly as pronounced guilty (but without explanation to those in charge,) I told Michele I was leaving.  Three competent ladies were there to run the booth and they certainly didn’t need me any longer.  Plus, I had already achieved my goal to do what I had offered to do in half the time of the event.

            I donned my hat and coat and exited to drive back to Stevensville.  Soured from the insult, I started talking to myself about the experience.  My natural state is love and being an “opti-mystic” person, what could change my perspective of this situation before I even returned home?

            The woman was obviously a sour-puss and unhappy about something that didn’t really even involve me.  She carried that attitude; I didn’t create it.  Unknowingly, I had triggered something inside her.  Those who deserve it the least are the ones who need love the most.  I had to start there.  Send her love.  Send her boat-loads of it.  Lift her up, because she is already down.  How far?  I didn’t consciously know, but I knew that if an introduction of joy could appall her to that degree . . . she carried a burden of resentment and anger that needed to be dissolved and she evidently didn’t know how to do so.

            Desiring to share the unlimited love that flows through me, I gave her second helpings of spiritual food.  I thought of her later, and sent her third helpings.

            And then I had to look at myself and the part I played in it.  Do I have such a fragile ego that someone can’t correct me without pouting about it?  Was I doing this for God or was I doing this job for Michele and my team members to get approval or have them like me?  Was I drawing more people in with signatures to be greedy or impress my team?  How many people would fit in the small space we were using for a food tasting party?  Did I want “standing room only” and would we need to rent a stadium if I continued doing what I was doing?  How many are enough?

            I got my answers.  My volunteering to reach out and let people know about the product was for God and not for my team who had “skin on.”  He touched the ones He wanted touched.  I had done my job. 

            Hopefully, by the time that woman got home, she felt lighter and wasn’t going to yell at her husband and kids or kick the dog!  I got home cleared of that uncomfortable human yuck and enjoyed the rest of my day.

            We, as a humanity, take these things so personally and oftentimes carry them for a lifetime.    When you experience one of those, “I didn’t see that coming,” situations . . . shift your perspective as quickly as possible.  Giving them love is the LAST thing you feel like doing, but needs to become the FIRST thing you do after you wallow for a minute or two.  It feels good to wallow.  Your feelings are hurt, you are stunned and your energy gets unbalanced with the slam-dunk that just happened to you.   But, the shift in consciousness will make your boo-boo feel better in moments when you just send them love.  It has to pass through you to get to them and it purifies your energy field on its way through.

            The “jewelry” I will be hanging in my new kitchen are inspirational “Signs from God.”  I figured that my entire life is an open book (literally in book form.)  My home is now the same, with inspirational plaques and signs.  One that got hung at the ceiling entering my kitchen is a double-sided sign so you can read two different coming and going messages.

            Quoting Maya Angelou, “I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”  In my home, I am going to help you feel like you are the most important person in my life . . . because YOU ARE while you are in my presence.  (Or, I should say “In God’s Presence that is within me.”)

            I will never forget how the woman made me feel when I approached her in error, giving her the message a second time.    But I will also never forget that my Service is to God, not self or others.  If I experience a “bump in the road” every now and then . . . I will remember that not everyone feels the Divine Love daily as I am fortunate to experience.  I also realize that with the unlimited Agape Love . . . there is an infinite amount and plenty for everyone to enjoy.   I don’t have less by giving more.

            If you are interested in getting more information about Thrive Life freeze-dried foods, you can go to my website:  gloriabenish.thrivelife.com and take a peek.  I feed the masses, so when I signed up – that amount went towards food, plus a 15% discount.  Even purchasing my food, I get bonus points, which purchases more food.   To me, it’s a win/win!

            As you leave my home today, the “Sign from God” above the door says, “The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God won’t protect you.”  Be safe my friend, I love you with my whole great big heart!

            Until next month, take care . . . I care . . .

Always,

Gloria D. Benish, Ph.D.

To get my free book, “GUTS & GLORI(A)”  From Fear…to Eternity, go to:

www.miraclepublishingdistribution.com

P.S.  I received a telephone call from a reader of the Open Line early this week, requesting me to become like a “Spiritual Dear Abby.”  If you have questions about spirituality and your growth, problems you are dealing with, or “inquiring-minds-wanna-know anything,” I will “go into the light” and pray about it to help in any way I can.  My personal email:  miraclemessage@yahoo.com