“I will be grateful for this day” -Anonymous
"When the devil keeps asking you to look at your past,
there must be something good in the future he doesn't want you to see." –
Anonymous
“Pretending to be happy when you are in PAIN is just an
example of how STRONG a person you are.” - Anonymous
One of the most enjoyable aspects of my involvement in the
pageant industry over the past 20 years is being a Pageant Judge. When I
accepted my title as Mrs. Mississippi International 2014, I knew that I would
have to limit the number of pageants that I judge; still, I have been able to
judge several special pageants during my year’s reign thus far, have met many
wonderful local, state, and national directors and contestants throughout the
southeast, and have had the privilege of sharing my platform focusing on
Chronic Pain Awareness with so many people.
In late 2013, I was one of the Overall Judges for an up and
coming pageant system—The National Southern Miss Scholarship Pageant in
Panama City Beach , Florida Mississippi .
After traveling around my great
state in February, making appearances to promote American Heart Month and the
Mrs. International Pageant System’s American Heart Association’s Go Red for
Women charity initiative, I had the honor of judging several pageants in early
March. Mississippi is known as “The
Hospitality State” and each year cities and counties around my state begin
having preliminary Miss Hospitality Pageants to crown their ambassadors to send
to our state’s Mississippi Miss Hospitality
Pageant held each summer in Hattiesburg ,
MS
I also had the honor of judging the
2014 Jimmie Rogers Pageant in early
March, and as one of 3 panel judges, we chose 3 young girls of various age
groups to represent the historic “Father of Country Music,”, Jimmie Rodgers at
events & concerts in Meridian and Lauderdale County, MS, during the
upcoming year.
Last weekend (judging in another
sister state), I was one of 5 Overall Judges at the 2014 Miss Alabama
Plus America Alabama and Georgia . I was deeply inspired by
the stories these women told, the platforms they chose, and the amazingly
strong, talented, intelligent women who I met. Again, I was able to share my
personal platform “Bringing a Voice to the Silent Pain of Chronic Illness” with
so many people who I met this past weekend, and who I now count as true pageant
industry friends.
Before I put my blinders on and began to focus
on my preparation for the 2014 Mrs. International Pageant this July, I have the
joy of judging the 2014 Miss Catfish Pageant in Belzoni , MS Greenwood Mississippi
-Bringing My Voice to the Silent World of Chronic Pain and Chronic Illness within the Pageant Industry
Jeremiah 29: 11-13
Be Brave,
Angie Russell
Irvin
Mrs. Mississippi
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