Gloria, a Christian HNMNBie 13
character, setting, conflict, plot and theme.
Everett Washington, a place you can enjoy a cheeseburger without shame, it's so different from Jerusalem, Gloria said to her childhood friend Angelica, between bites of her meal.
Angelica looked up from her salad, watching her diminutive friend attack her plate, fries and all. Keep in mind you aren't working out with the IDF anymore, eventually what you eat will be what you wear. I hate to talk shop, but with Yolanda moving out of the picture, I wonder if you can help me with something.
One of the most interesting HNMNBie female entrepreneurs is Elisa Santiago, she started out as a seamstress in a custom bikini shop in Miami and is now CEO of an influential woman owned business, Beacony by Santiago.
Gloria, looked at Angelica and waited.
It is bikinis for sure, suggestive clothing, vibrators and lubes, definitely appealing to the ladies.
There's a place for that, so what's the problem?
Her whole enterprise is sinking.
Sinking?
Sea rise, inundation, ground sinking, Florida, limestone, you must have heard of this stuff.
Sure, why is this an issue now, asked Gloria? Florida has been sinking for aeons. Granted all available science indicates that pumping the water out of the ground to turn golf courses green has accelerated the problem, but these are known issues.
Angelica waited, she bought into our cryptocurrency early, second round. At this point she has spent an entire H Coin on resilience measures, all the stuff they say to do. After all that, her first floor is flooding, her raised roadway is buckling, the water gates are not working as advertised, the pumps can't keep up.
I am very sorry for her, Southern Louisiana, Florida, Eastern Georgia, at the end of the day rising sea levels are going to win, but what is the issue, who can stop the tossing of the sea? Why are you telling me this?
Several members of the Florida chapter asked if I could come to the meeting an hour early, they want me to organize a prayer session for her.
Sounds wonderful, I would have guessed her local church could pray with far more insight and fervor. Still sounds great, are you going?
Gloria, in the first place I have never been to a prayer session, much less led one, I wouldn't know what to do.
Close your eyes, clasp your hands, perhaps kneel, Gloria offered, then went silent waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop.
Angelica paused, she has a matching grant from H Coin's benevolence committee, Yolanda approved it.
Gloria had a tendency to be quick to speak and say what is on her mind. She intentionally paused and steadied herself with Proverbs 19:12, "Hurry yourself and you error." Firstly, it can't be that much money, the benevolence committee is funded with voluntary tips. I don't remember the details, but there is a limit to what they can give to any one project, I think it is 5%? Anything more than that would be through Yolanda's share, if she made some commitment, she has money, she should be able to spend it, what's the problem? Gloria smiled, eating her last french fry, there must be a three legged man in here somewhere, because I am still waiting for the shoe that really gets my attention to drop. What's bothering you, spill girl.
Some of the members do not approve of the expense, spending HNMNBie resources to help a sex shop, said Angelica.
Sex shop, now this is getting interesting. Does she run a prostitution ring?
No.
Does she sell pornography?
No.
This sex shop is starting to lose its sizzle lady, what does she sell?
Like I said, bikinis, suggestive clothing, vibrators and lubes.
Okaaaay, depending on which fashion history you want to quote, bikinis have either been around for thousands of years, or were invented in 1946, suggestive clothing at least as long, lubes too, one could make the claim that vibrators only hail back to the invention of the battery, but that was also a long time ago. So the problem is?
Some people don't feel it is HNMNBie like, synthetic fabrics, clothes that play to the male ego, that sort of thing. They feel it offends their connection to a higher power.
And that's what the prayer meeting is about? No wonder you are nervous. I tend to fall with Gizmo and Traveler with this whole higher power thing. Take a deep breath, I'm not going to preach Jesus at you, (just yet). But this is the problem in a nutshell. The HNMNBie movement says, "We trust our higher power, whatever that is to us". But what that means automatically is that if you put 6 HNMNBies in a room, you will have 7, (or more), definitions of a guiding power.
As I best understand it, that notion came into being as an ethical thread, the pursuit of higher principles. The folks that want to condemn bikinis, even though both of us rock in them, have strayed into morals where it is easy to get lost.
Morals are different than ethics?
Depending on who you talk to, yes. I define morals as a code of conduct based on an authority, The most well known authorities are the Bible, the Torah, the Koran. Now granted, the interpretations human beings make of these authorities are wildly different, but at least they are bounded. Trust your higher power is unbounded and thus destined to fade like a fad.
But you have been part of the HNMNBie movement since the beginning?
True sweetie, and this is the part where I do preach Jesus, I didn't really believe in anything at that point. I had some notion I wanted to be more Jewish, I wanted to make Aliyah, did, still do, believe in a land for the tribes of Israel. But that doesn't even qualify as a higher power, it is closer to a real estate transaction. if we don't claim the land, there will be no place for us. But you can't live in Jerusalem without realizing there is a connection to God. Yaweh isn't a higher power, He is the name, He is God most high. So then there was a person named Gloria, an all powerful entity named God and no connection between the two.
The odds of getting killed by a Qassam rocket in Jerusalem are very slim, but much higher than finding Jesus near Jaffa Gate. But that is what happened to me. Now, after coming to faith in Jesus, an unbounded higher power does not move me. Please don't get me wrong, if that is working for someone else I will not intrude, but if they ask me, or give me the opportunity to share what I believe then I will certainly do it.
So you will lead the prayer meeting?
Gloria laughed, as long as I can dictate the invitation that goes in the morning announcements.
= = =
All attendees are invited to a Christian prayer meeting in the Baker room at 0630 to intercede for HNMNBie enterprises that are endangered by rising seas and innundation. Coffee and light refreshments will be served at 0730.
= = =
It turned out that a number of HNMNBies were closet Christians. They resonated with a number of the goals of the movement, support for science, technology, engineering and math in higher education and the work place. A fondness for the arts and a belief in environmental consciousness with the only planet we have been given. But there were aspects of the movement such as abortion and encouraged termination of life, they did not agree with.
When one of the founders of the movement, Gloria stepped out in faith there was suddenly a point to rally around. The referred to themselves as the His Name Must Be Praised, HNMBPs, or HaNemBeePs, or H Beeps.
The bikini store? Gloria toured Elisa's store. They had a long talk and Elisa came to realize that more money wouldn't save it, the rising ocean may be delayed, but never stopped. There were also marketplace factors to consider, the population in Florida has been dropping over the past 25 years, especially the coastal cities like Miami and Tampa Bay as the sea water overtakes the land. More importantly, the bikiniable population is dropping at an even faster rate. Moving the store seemed like the best plan, most of the business was online anyway. Gloria took the action to close the loop with Yolanda.
DROP IN: Sis, you available?
PRESENCE: Yolanda wakled into the Presence field dressed in a tiny bikini top and see though harem pants outfit that looked like, was, one of the Beacony exclusives. In the back field, Gloria could make out two attendants, it appeared Yolanda was favoring male companions at the moment.
Nice outfit sis, I take it you already know what is on my mind, said Gloria.
Word gets around, so you want a piece of moi, Yolanda grinned and did a 360 turn?
Elisa and I would like to make some moves with Beacony and it seems that you and her have some unfinished business.
Yes, it was a nice opportunity, but after Green Bay, it is more of a distraction than a moon shot. What are you thinking?
One more verse in the Gloria buys Yolanda out song.
At a profit I hope. How is my Kosher wine import business doing?
Your former wine import enterprise is doing quite well, the contacts I made in Israel have allowed me to expand the operation. So, let's haggle.
END PRESENCE.
The businesswoman in Gloria relished the opportunity for commerce. They decided to keep the flagship store in Florida, Orlando was becoming the springboard to the resilient beach communities especially after runway 35L was rebuilt, this time in a sinkhole resistant fashion. HNN Magazine covered the grand reopening and featured Gloria on the cover wearing their signature bikini top and harem pants.
Traveler had pretty much been a loner after Leilani, but he accepted a Drop In from Gloria to talk about how things were going.
PRESENCE: Traveler had not been eating, he was starting to look like Reverend Slocom, a scarecrow of a man. He shook his head. It's ironic, the history books will list me as the father of the HNMBie movement with its focus on a higher power and you as the H Beep girl, with a focus on praising God while wearing a bikini, he managed a weak smile at the thought.
You and I know the truth Traveler, God knows the truth and His books will be accurate. But Traveler, how are you doing, it doesn't look like you are eating much?
I'm coming around Gloria, I never knew, never guessed, it would hit me this hard. She was my woman and our time was too short. My mom and dad passed, I was sad, grieved, morned, but it wasn't like this. She is gone.
So, what are you doing, Gloria asked softly.
I keep getting drawn to 2 Thessalonians. I know scriptural soundbites are dangerous, but that is how my brain has been processing.
I want to be counted worthy of the kingdom of God
I'm trying to stand firm and hold fast to the teachings
I've been idle, Eve.AI has been working overtime, but I haven't been destructive
It's like everything was washed away in that mudslide, nothing remains. I know that is not true, some part of my brain knows what is going on with my business and to a much lesser extent, the world. I see the powerful delusion growing in power.
Slocom has been a big help. I'll be back in the game.
Gloria nodded. Since you have been in 2 Thessalonians, let me part with this blessing, "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your heart and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
END PRESENCE.
Everett Washington, a place you can enjoy a cheeseburger without shame, it's so different from Jerusalem, Gloria said to her childhood friend Angelica, between bites of her meal.
Angelica looked up from her salad, watching her diminutive friend attack her plate, fries and all. Keep in mind you aren't working out with the IDF anymore, eventually what you eat will be what you wear. I hate to talk shop, but with Yolanda moving out of the picture, I wonder if you can help me with something.
One of the most interesting HNMNBie female entrepreneurs is Elisa Santiago, she started out as a seamstress in a custom bikini shop in Miami and is now CEO of an influential woman owned business, Beacony by Santiago.
Gloria, looked at Angelica and waited.
It is bikinis for sure, suggestive clothing, vibrators and lubes, definitely appealing to the ladies.
There's a place for that, so what's the problem?
Her whole enterprise is sinking.
Sinking?
Sea rise, inundation, ground sinking, Florida, limestone, you must have heard of this stuff.
Sure, why is this an issue now, asked Gloria? Florida has been sinking for aeons. Granted all available science indicates that pumping the water out of the ground to turn golf courses green has accelerated the problem, but these are known issues.
Angelica waited, she bought into our cryptocurrency early, second round. At this point she has spent an entire H Coin on resilience measures, all the stuff they say to do. After all that, her first floor is flooding, her raised roadway is buckling, the water gates are not working as advertised, the pumps can't keep up.
I am very sorry for her, Southern Louisiana, Florida, Eastern Georgia, at the end of the day rising sea levels are going to win, but what is the issue, who can stop the tossing of the sea? Why are you telling me this?
Several members of the Florida chapter asked if I could come to the meeting an hour early, they want me to organize a prayer session for her.
Sounds wonderful, I would have guessed her local church could pray with far more insight and fervor. Still sounds great, are you going?
Gloria, in the first place I have never been to a prayer session, much less led one, I wouldn't know what to do.
Close your eyes, clasp your hands, perhaps kneel, Gloria offered, then went silent waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop.
Angelica paused, she has a matching grant from H Coin's benevolence committee, Yolanda approved it.
Gloria had a tendency to be quick to speak and say what is on her mind. She intentionally paused and steadied herself with Proverbs 19:12, "Hurry yourself and you error." Firstly, it can't be that much money, the benevolence committee is funded with voluntary tips. I don't remember the details, but there is a limit to what they can give to any one project, I think it is 5%? Anything more than that would be through Yolanda's share, if she made some commitment, she has money, she should be able to spend it, what's the problem? Gloria smiled, eating her last french fry, there must be a three legged man in here somewhere, because I am still waiting for the shoe that really gets my attention to drop. What's bothering you, spill girl.
Some of the members do not approve of the expense, spending HNMNBie resources to help a sex shop, said Angelica.
Sex shop, now this is getting interesting. Does she run a prostitution ring?
No.
Does she sell pornography?
No.
This sex shop is starting to lose its sizzle lady, what does she sell?
Like I said, bikinis, suggestive clothing, vibrators and lubes.
Okaaaay, depending on which fashion history you want to quote, bikinis have either been around for thousands of years, or were invented in 1946, suggestive clothing at least as long, lubes too, one could make the claim that vibrators only hail back to the invention of the battery, but that was also a long time ago. So the problem is?
Some people don't feel it is HNMNBie like, synthetic fabrics, clothes that play to the male ego, that sort of thing. They feel it offends their connection to a higher power.
And that's what the prayer meeting is about? No wonder you are nervous. I tend to fall with Gizmo and Traveler with this whole higher power thing. Take a deep breath, I'm not going to preach Jesus at you, (just yet). But this is the problem in a nutshell. The HNMNBie movement says, "We trust our higher power, whatever that is to us". But what that means automatically is that if you put 6 HNMNBies in a room, you will have 7, (or more), definitions of a guiding power.
As I best understand it, that notion came into being as an ethical thread, the pursuit of higher principles. The folks that want to condemn bikinis, even though both of us rock in them, have strayed into morals where it is easy to get lost.
Morals are different than ethics?
Depending on who you talk to, yes. I define morals as a code of conduct based on an authority, The most well known authorities are the Bible, the Torah, the Koran. Now granted, the interpretations human beings make of these authorities are wildly different, but at least they are bounded. Trust your higher power is unbounded and thus destined to fade like a fad.
But you have been part of the HNMNBie movement since the beginning?
True sweetie, and this is the part where I do preach Jesus, I didn't really believe in anything at that point. I had some notion I wanted to be more Jewish, I wanted to make Aliyah, did, still do, believe in a land for the tribes of Israel. But that doesn't even qualify as a higher power, it is closer to a real estate transaction. if we don't claim the land, there will be no place for us. But you can't live in Jerusalem without realizing there is a connection to God. Yaweh isn't a higher power, He is the name, He is God most high. So then there was a person named Gloria, an all powerful entity named God and no connection between the two.
The odds of getting killed by a Qassam rocket in Jerusalem are very slim, but much higher than finding Jesus near Jaffa Gate. But that is what happened to me. Now, after coming to faith in Jesus, an unbounded higher power does not move me. Please don't get me wrong, if that is working for someone else I will not intrude, but if they ask me, or give me the opportunity to share what I believe then I will certainly do it.
So you will lead the prayer meeting?
Gloria laughed, as long as I can dictate the invitation that goes in the morning announcements.
= = =
All attendees are invited to a Christian prayer meeting in the Baker room at 0630 to intercede for HNMNBie enterprises that are endangered by rising seas and innundation. Coffee and light refreshments will be served at 0730.
= = =
It turned out that a number of HNMNBies were closet Christians. They resonated with a number of the goals of the movement, support for science, technology, engineering and math in higher education and the work place. A fondness for the arts and a belief in environmental consciousness with the only planet we have been given. But there were aspects of the movement such as abortion and encouraged termination of life, they did not agree with.
When one of the founders of the movement, Gloria stepped out in faith there was suddenly a point to rally around. The referred to themselves as the His Name Must Be Praised, HNMBPs, or HaNemBeePs, or H Beeps.
The bikini store? Gloria toured Elisa's store. They had a long talk and Elisa came to realize that more money wouldn't save it, the rising ocean may be delayed, but never stopped. There were also marketplace factors to consider, the population in Florida has been dropping over the past 25 years, especially the coastal cities like Miami and Tampa Bay as the sea water overtakes the land. More importantly, the bikiniable population is dropping at an even faster rate. Moving the store seemed like the best plan, most of the business was online anyway. Gloria took the action to close the loop with Yolanda.
DROP IN: Sis, you available?
PRESENCE: Yolanda wakled into the Presence field dressed in a tiny bikini top and see though harem pants outfit that looked like, was, one of the Beacony exclusives. In the back field, Gloria could make out two attendants, it appeared Yolanda was favoring male companions at the moment.
Nice outfit sis, I take it you already know what is on my mind, said Gloria.
Word gets around, so you want a piece of moi, Yolanda grinned and did a 360 turn?
Elisa and I would like to make some moves with Beacony and it seems that you and her have some unfinished business.
Yes, it was a nice opportunity, but after Green Bay, it is more of a distraction than a moon shot. What are you thinking?
One more verse in the Gloria buys Yolanda out song.
At a profit I hope. How is my Kosher wine import business doing?
Your former wine import enterprise is doing quite well, the contacts I made in Israel have allowed me to expand the operation. So, let's haggle.
END PRESENCE.
The businesswoman in Gloria relished the opportunity for commerce. They decided to keep the flagship store in Florida, Orlando was becoming the springboard to the resilient beach communities especially after runway 35L was rebuilt, this time in a sinkhole resistant fashion. HNN Magazine covered the grand reopening and featured Gloria on the cover wearing their signature bikini top and harem pants.
Traveler had pretty much been a loner after Leilani, but he accepted a Drop In from Gloria to talk about how things were going.
PRESENCE: Traveler had not been eating, he was starting to look like Reverend Slocom, a scarecrow of a man. He shook his head. It's ironic, the history books will list me as the father of the HNMBie movement with its focus on a higher power and you as the H Beep girl, with a focus on praising God while wearing a bikini, he managed a weak smile at the thought.
You and I know the truth Traveler, God knows the truth and His books will be accurate. But Traveler, how are you doing, it doesn't look like you are eating much?
I'm coming around Gloria, I never knew, never guessed, it would hit me this hard. She was my woman and our time was too short. My mom and dad passed, I was sad, grieved, morned, but it wasn't like this. She is gone.
So, what are you doing, Gloria asked softly.
I keep getting drawn to 2 Thessalonians. I know scriptural soundbites are dangerous, but that is how my brain has been processing.
I want to be counted worthy of the kingdom of God
I'm trying to stand firm and hold fast to the teachings
I've been idle, Eve.AI has been working overtime, but I haven't been destructive
It's like everything was washed away in that mudslide, nothing remains. I know that is not true, some part of my brain knows what is going on with my business and to a much lesser extent, the world. I see the powerful delusion growing in power.
Slocom has been a big help. I'll be back in the game.
Gloria nodded. Since you have been in 2 Thessalonians, let me part with this blessing, "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your heart and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
END PRESENCE.
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