Gloria Lara:  

I haven't lived in Texas for so long that it's hard to remember what it looks like. That plus with age, one tends to forget quite a few things. hah! After graduation I went to college for about two years then, married and divorced in the first marriage after it didn't work out to Robert Hargis who was in the Navy and went to Brack. We had a beautiful son together whom he has seen a couple of times in his entire life. It's his loss like I tell my son for he is losing out on life's experiences that can only enrich our lives even if the marriage didn't work out. Guess that's why my heart is so soft and tender towards the youth of today because I have seen from experience the sadness and emotional chaos it creates. I hope this touches those parents out there who have divorced and have second families for the spouse not to come between them and their children. Because it causes such horrible rejection and the children feel worthless and like the parent who left them doesn't care for them. Not that I blame him totally for it for we both share equal blame. This is starting to sound like a novel now, huh? But, I firmly believe that in life there are no rehearsals to prepare us mentally of how to live our lives nor coincidences. Every thing happens for a reason. In retrospect, had we both been a bit more mature and thought it over , we would have waited to see if it was true love or not. You see, We were marrying for the wrong reason and should have taken the time to get over another relationship I was just getting out of. A lesson learned the hard way I would say Suffice it to say that I remarried 3 yrs. later and traveled alongside my career- military hubby and had 2 beautiful children. His name is Reynaldo Rivera and served in the USMC for 31 yrs. We lived in exotic places, as well as hardship posts and visited beautiful places as well...like Germany, Holland,Luxembourg..For our 40th anniv. we plan to go on a Med. cruise and visit Greece,Turkey and other exotic places. For now, I am grateful and overjoyed being a grandma to two beautiful grandsons. They rock my world to say the least!!! They are 3 and 2 yr. olds with the most beautiful used to be blue eyes, now turning hazel. Handsome just like their gringo- dad whom i love dearly. Am soo happy my daughter waited to marry him and thank God she didn't marry another military man like mama. Not that I have anything against it but it 's a hard way of life. He is the most wonderful human being made just for her I remind her. I come from a large fam. of 6 sisters and two brothers. Growing up was an experience I draw on as I share with those whom God leads my way to help others see what God can do in your life even if you're born into a modest home and not wealthy money-wise. But having been raised by loving and caring parents and the closeness we still share as a family is worth more than treasures for we never lacked in love. It wasn't until we lived in Africa that I found what hunger and poverty was all about. That's why even now to this day, I pray for those people and someday hope to go back to visit and share His word with people who have so little but yet,have such joy just being themselves and with their families. I thank God for the opportunity afforded to us in meeting people from so many different cultures which has made me a more accepting person of those who are different than I. God knows exactly what we need to mature us into being the person He created us to be. Am in my 3rd semester Bible college studies and baby sit my lil dinos 5 days a week. So I keep very active with my family, church and Bible College. Have lived a wonderful exciting, bittersweet life and learned from all the experiences life places before us. It was in my heart with such urgency to start up the gold benefits for Classmates due to a younger sister who recently passed away. Never in my wildest dreams did I even think it would happen but it did. It made me start wondering about Life in General and all the people that have come into my life. Being a Christian is getting to be so unpopular these days for at times we are prejudged due to what is happening on with the different religious groups. But the Bible warned us about this that in the latter days persecution would be stronger and how we must endure encourageing each other. Having lived in Africa for 3 yrs. taught me an invaluable lesson one cannot learn from books nor can it be taught to us but must be experienced so we never forget how to be humble and appreciate what we have. Our nation has not known hunger,misery,panic,fear,violence,lawlessnes..nor all the other negatives other countries have experienced all their lives until recently. As I reflected on my sisters life cut short and how many lives she touched by simply giving of herself, devoted to our mother and raising a son all by herself spoke volumes to us all. She may never be known in "Who's Who almanacs nor the Most Popular nor richest person in the world". But in the annals of Eternity, God has welcomed her home and was received by all those angels that surround His throne and is having the life she truly deserves for having done what she was called to do. Just plain serve and have a Christ-like nature within her. So, I purposed in my heart to reach out to those people I grew up with who were like family to me. Because that is what school is...though at the time we truly can't see that until our minds and eyes are unveiled to see that those people who rubbed shoulders with us were placed in our path so we can reach out to love and serve them. Isn't that neat? To love your neighbor as we love Jesus or ourselves for that matter. Life is too short to carry burdens that don't belong to us that's why He asks us to leave them to Him that He will never give us more than what we can bear. My life's mission right after I receive my diploma in Theology will be to go back to those places to do volunteer work setting up Bible Colleges wherever people are crying out to hear more about His Gospel Truth because that is what is really going to keep us sound with all the turmoil and despair going on about us. It is the only Anchor that will stabilize us as we face our storms and help us focus on Him, the Author and Finisher of our Faith. By reaching out to others with His love, and Forgiveness instead of doctrinal issues and denominational differences for that does not save nor help anyone. All it accomplishes is strife and division. There is enough of that going on in churches even and God is not pleased with that. We are to love our fellowman regardless what religion or even if they differ from what we believe. When they see the Christ-like nature in us, that in itself will speak volumes of who we are in Him that at times they themselves marvel because you are so different than what they assume and they ask if they can go to church with you or what denomination you are because they like what they see in you. " None of us is perfect and I don't claim to know all the answers but of one thing I am sure that God is for real and one day we shall all face Him and He will either say to us "come up my good and faithful servant , enter into your rest or depart from me for I never knew you." I am open to share of His love and if you have prayer requests or if you would like to share anything with me to encourage our Bible students or me, please feel free to do. Am not one that debates His word for that only places obstacles to those around us that see or hear us and only brings confusion to people. I am one who encourages men and women who have had soul-stirring testimonies and are now in positions to help others especially our youth generation now who is in such need of "Father figures and mentors" to do so. 1John 4:18-21 "How can we say we love God whom we cannot see , when we can't even love our brother whom we can see?" Also, if you would like more info on how to get Bible colleges going on in your churches or areas to contact me. and I will place you in contact with college itself. They send out info, books,etc..on how to get started. It's really simple. Then your pastor or your church selects a facilitator from your own group to teach your classes. Would love to have some of you contact me through that classmate email if you care to join "myspace" so we can keep in touch and check out other photos, share, etc.. It's alot of fun. May the Lord richly bless each and every classmate I meet for like someone said earlier in their bio..there are no strangers but friends I have yet to meet. Please, contact me as well if anything I say that might offend you and I will make it a point not to do so for I am aware that some people are just not that open to share anything about God or "their religion"..like my own hubby tells me... to which I respond "what good is it to have God in our lives if we can't even share His awesome love and how He has changed us into His glorious image." I just can't keep quiet about this Jesus who loves and cares for me and His children so much that He gave up His only son to die in our place. His Word tells us if we don't talk about Him that even the rocks will speak out...for those intellectuals who tell us there are some things we are not to take literally...Thank God I don't study tooo deeeep into the word for the "letter kills but His spirit gives us life." By that it means, it's not how much we know or learn but what and how we interpret His word to be able to apply it to our lives so others may see Christ's image in us and not just some religious fanatic who can quote scripture or memorizes it to such an extent that when you interrupt them they get so angered by it for you make them lose their place or train of thought. By sharing His love, not only are we doing His will but we exalt Him and honor Him. I feel so blessed by all the classmates that have opened up to me already and I know that one day soon we shall have one big ole happy reuni...Expand for more