Each of you has grown through your Iron Brides experience. What are you going to do to continue your personal growth(s)?    What action(s) will you commit to?  What are you willing to change?  What has your fiance’s, and your families reaction been to this committment?

Gosh, I don’t even want to think about Ironbrides ever ending. When it does, I’m going to carry on my positive attutitude, the person I’ve become, my friendships I’ve made.

I still have alot to work on and goals to meet.

Everyone is so proud of me.

Add a comment January 17, 2009

growing

Ironbrides has been one amazing, amazing experience. From all the wonderful girls I’ve met to the strengths I have achieved. Through out the whole show I’ve been asked several times how I have grown spiritually. I’ve been sitting here forever trying to figure out what to write, literally. My blog is most likely going to be late now. It’s so hard for me to get started on writing something that has impacted me so much. There’s so much to say about where to start, and how to describe my feelings. Jeez, I’ve backed spaced my thinking/typing a billion and ten times.

My eyes have opened, and I feel like I’ve breathed a burst of fresh air. I came into the “ironbride world” blind, having so much to learn. Yes, I have grown personally/spiritually. I’m not the girl I was 3 months ago. I have opened my heart and my mind. I have learned that its ok to fail. Most of all I have learned that I deserve the best and to be happy, that I should put myself before I put others pains or suffering. Growing up I was that type of girl who forgot or lost herself due to others needs.

Professionally… I’m not sure how i’ve grown on that. I’ve always been able to take commands well, act proper, arrive on time.

This blogging assignment is very touh. Theres so much, I’m going to sleep on it tonight, and edit tomorrow….

Add a comment January 17, 2009

Extra Bloggieness

Planning a Wedding

Drive’s me Nuts

Stresses me out

Makes my mind waunder

Confusses me

Erks the bajeebahs out of me

Makes me sleepless

Gives me headaches

Can’t we just elope?

I think my hair is falling out!

Darn it all!

In the end my bald hair will be worth it!

Add a comment January 10, 2009

Annette Simmons (the story factor)

≈Annette Simmons≈

What is so special about The Story Factor? It brings together three trends that have belonged together all along. First: the rebirth of the storytelling art around the developed world and the subsequent appreciation for the mental and emotional processes it unleashes. Second: the emerging realization in the business community that thriving organizations need whole persons working for them–that anything less cheats both the individual and the firm. Finally: the successes of practical psychologies in helping us achieve lasting influence through respectful relationships.

The Six Stories You Need To Know How To Tell

The first chapter opens with this strong title, and proceeds to list the six types of stories which “will serve you well in your efforts to influence others“:

1. “Who Am I” Stories
2. “Why Am I Here” Stories
3. “The Vision” Story
4. “Teaching” Stories
5. “Values-in-Action” Stories
6. “I Know What You Are Thinking” Stories

I was so young when I first learned the meaning of depression. I was 7, 7 years old and ready to give life up. I know this because at 7 I prayed to God to let me take the place of another little girl who was suffering, and wanted to live. 7 years old, and there was no meaning of life for me. I could go on, and on, and on trying to think of reasons why I felt this way, why I made myself suffer, but they don’t matter. What does matter is that even though dealing with the negativity and depression for 14 years, I was able to set myself free in as little as 5 months. I’m finally at peace with myself, and finally a new chapter is unfolding. I’m finding out who I am every moment! I finding the joys of life, not the disappointments , breathing in the fresh air, and listening to the birds, putting on a true smile, and knowing what it means to live fully. I did, I took everything for granted, my life, I can’t believe I was ready to let go . Ironbrides helped reinforce my positive thinking, and I made it a habit, yes, sometimes my positive thinking was fake, because deep down I still had those  negative feelings. But those “fake” positives quickly turned into “true” positive feelings. I’m deffinitely much more laid back now, and HAPPIER! WOW… I’m actually happy! YEEE HAW!

God Bless! and be POSITIVE

Add a comment January 10, 2009

Glass Ceilings

This is a little poem I wrote for this assignment:

A glass ceiling encircles all around me, I’m locked inside, looking at my future, I pound and scream to get out of this encircled glass ceiling, but no one can hear me. Just as I feel I have chiseled my way out, reaching for the other side,but  it was only an illusion the glass is thicker then I thought, and theres no way i’ll ever beable to get out. I sit alone, and wonder why can’t I be free, what is that’s holding me back from breaking out of this encircled glass ceiling, each passing moment the glass ceiling becomes smaller and smaller, until finally I scream at the top of my lungs, God, I love myself, I can get out of here, there’s nothing in this world I can’t do. I chisel the glass with my long finger nails, feeling every little sting, blood stains the ceiling, but I don’t give up, I move faster and faster, finally IM OUT! IM OUT! I look back where I was once encircled by a glass ceiling, I look at the thin sheet of glass, and now I know why I was in there for so long. My negative thinking, lack of confidence, and self worthlessness, wouldn’t let me see past, past the thin sheet of glass.

My glass ceilings in my life have always been with negative thinking, and feelings that surround me. I feel like I’m always left out, no one wants to listen to me, and by thinking this it comes true, because I hold myself back. I feel like some of the things I won’t ever beable to do in my life is save the world I guess. My thinking has changed these past few months, and I truly believe I can do whatever I set my heart to!

By the time I’m 60 I’m going to accomplish: raising money for cancer, then jumping out of a plane, bulid my own house, be a cute fit granny, and make a difference in hunderds of thousands lives.

Add a comment January 3, 2009

Imagine A Complaint Free World

Our world is filled with negativity and complaints.  Do you ever wonder what this does to our spirits? One amazing man named Will Bowen dared to test the world. It all first started when he was ministering at his congregation, and handed out purple bracelets to the members to help them realize how often they complain. The idea of this bracelet is that every time you complain or are negative you need to switch your bracelet to a different wrist, to try it for 21 days to make it a habit, and see how long you go with keeping your purple bracelet on one wrist. It took Will Bowen six months!

“Complaining is not to be confused with informing someone of a mistake or deficiency so that it can be put right. And to refrain from complaining doesn’t necessarily mean putting up with bad quality or behavior. There is no ego in telling the waiter your soup is cold and needs to be heated up—if you stick to the facts, which are always neutral. ‘How dare you serve me cold soup…?’ That’s complaining.”

—Eckhart Tolle, “A New Earth”

Iron Brides had a presenter come in and talk with us a week or so ago about a complaint free world. Listening to Betsy story really touched my heart. Even though I have only had my bracelet for one week I feel attached to this thing! When I take a shower or do the dishes I take it off, and the other day I had forgotten to put it on. We’ll yes, I complained and when to switch wrist, and became so upset when I didn’t have it on! So far this week I have a good  touching story to do with the bracelet. A few days ago I got up a little later than usual to take my puppy out to the park. It was absolutely freezing so I put on my cute little mittens, and dresses up nice and warm. I head out my door to the right and meet up with some neighbors. They complimented on my puppy, and we talked a little bit about her. When we said our goodbyes I told them we were off to the park. They suggested to head left because there was another park down there where there was more room for her to run. So I headed to the left somewhere I hadn’t been yet. Half way through our walk I see a man outside his house picking up some garbage, and here I am walking with my puppy. “Oh! great,” I thought this man is probably going to stop me thinking it was my puppy who got into his trash.” Sure enough this man stopped me, and of course my thoughts were wrong he stopped me to chit chat about my puppy, to tell me how pretty she was, and we talked about his three dogs. We talked for about 15 minutes or so then said our goodbyes, and I walked to the park across from his house. About 10 minutes later he’s there with his three pups, and our dogs are playing together. We get to talking in the blistering cold weather about everything, and of course I had to ask how his holiday was. This man just looks at me and says “you know I have hit rock bottom, I have ,no license, no job, and my wife left me because of money. He tells me he’s not sure he will ever beable to get back onto his feet again.” I looked at him and say ” yes, you may have hit rock bottom, but you can pick yourself up again, it’s going to be hard, but you can do it. It’s all about positive thinking, and complaining less about the things you don’t have.” I told him about my bracelet and how it has impacted my life in just a few days. I think for a fraction of a second I lifted up his spirit, and maybe once his spirit is re-built he will do the same for someone else, and so forth. So thank you Lord, for letting get a chance to make someone’s day a little bit better.

As a society we all need to start to work together, and be there for one another. Yes, he was a stranger, yes, I could have gotten hurt, but we all need to stop thinking about the negative, and actually care when we ask a stranger how they care. Our world focuses too much on the negative, and complaints. All I can say is spread the word.

Add a comment January 3, 2009

O holy night

O HOLY NIGHT is my absoulte favorite Chritmas song, and there’s no song out there that better describes the true meaning of christmas.

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining, ( star where Jesus was born) 
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth. (DEC 25th)
Long lay the world in sin and error pining. (what Jesus died for)
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. (Reappernce after death and faith began) 
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, (People will be saved)
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! (praise the Lord for all he’s done)
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O’er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQWXfHzOKUU

God bless

Add a comment December 26, 2008

Bad economy! make your gifts!

It’s the holiday season and the economy is terrible, meaning money is tight!  Why don’t you make  your own gifts? Here are some ideas;

For the parents you can make a date in a bag which includes a five dollar movie or five dollars for them to order a movie off comcast, spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, snacks for during the movie, and a good ole bottle of Boone’s Farm! Typically around four dollars, and WAAA LAHHH!

For the little girls you can make paper dolls

 Items to be used

1. Plan out your fairy house. Observe and adapt ideas from woodland cottages. Fairy houses can be round and short, or skinny and tall- such as a tower.
2. Draw a realistic blueprint on a piece of paper of the main structure of your fairy house. Remember, it needs to be physically possible to construct this. However, decorations to your fairy house can be improvised.
3. Find a base structure such as milk carton or a birdhouse. You can also build one with cardboard or wood.
4. Gather your materials from the woods or your garden. They need to be dried natural materials because hot glue won’t stick to damp or green woods.
5. Build your house; you can use cardboard, wood, or other materials. Glue them together using a hot glue gun or perhaps wood glue. It may be too costly or time-consuming to make your whole house out of clay, but oven-bake clay is great for turrets or windows. They come in many useful colors. You can add towers by using paper towel tubes, toothpaste boxes, or whatever else your imagination thinks up. Assemble your house on top of some sort of move-able platform.
6. Adorn the house with your findings. Once you have made your structure, you can decorate it with doors, vines, etc. Rustic and natural features will seem more realistic. Pebbles can be used in walkways or used to make a stone house. Birch tree bark has a beautiful look and you can use both sides. Don’t forget to include landscaping!

For the little guys you can make a pirtaes chest including, treasure map(don’t forget to soak it in tea, and burn the edges to get that old fashioned look), gold coins, eye patch(you can make out of felt and yarn), bandana, fake parrot, and snacks for your little pirate.

Also you can make board games!

For siblings, my little brother made me a beautiful braclet!

The elders, my mommie and I made homemade choclates, like peppermint bark, white trash, date balls, lollipops in the shape of farm animals, choclates filled with caramel, and coconut bon bons.

For your significant other there are so many cheesey things to make like, a pill bottle filled with love perscritions, scrapbook, an I love you book, write a poem, make a collage of your favorit memories.

For the women, make an at home spa night for her, first make up a gift card saying good for one spa night at home, draw her a bubble bath with some candles and wine, make a nice dinner, fiver her a half hour massage, giver her a little scalp massage, and buy her little gifts for her spa day, facial mask, nail polish ect, or give her money and have her pick them out!

Hope this helps!

Add a comment December 26, 2008

the Blind Leading the Blind

Growing up I had all these theories of love and peace, that if you love yourself and others, and bring peace to someone’s troubled heart the world would become that much of a better place. I’ve always felt this way. I can’t remeber a time when I hadn’t felt this way. It’s funny though growing up with these theories I was so focused on others that I had forgotten to take time to love, and know myself. How can I be a role model, and open others eyes when my eyes aren’t even open! Silly me… now that I’m learning to love myself each day theres so much more love in my heart!

Add a comment December 20, 2008

◊LIFE COACH LIFE COACH◊

WE NEED YOU!

Honestly, before my initial meeting with life coach Helen  I had no idea what a life coach was. Yes, I used common sense and figured it was someone who works with you through life’s obstacle’s, but there’s a deeper meaning about being connected with a  life coach. A life coach encourages a clients self-discovery, self-awareness, self-responsibility, values, talents, and life’s purpose.

♥ your thoughts, change your life

Self-discovery, what is self discovery and how does a life coach help unfold the real you? Self-discovery one’s individuality, or what makes you stand out from the rest. Working with a life coach helps you to see how others view you. Typically we all think of anothers character traits or physical traits that you wish you had. For once stand in another person’s shoes and view yourself the way they see you. You will WOW yourself. Self-awareness, this one kind of goes with self-discovery, but i feel that once you achieve your self awareness you will KNOW who you are, your feelings, beliefs, and behaviors. Self-responsibility, freely willing to take on a responsibility to and for yourself. For instants staying healthy so you can care for others, or learning to control your anger to help others feel safe around you. Values, what makes you proud of you, what do you value more than money, this is where the question if you were stuck on an island, comes in play! Talents, we all have our talents, but the trick is learning to uncover them. Some people become amazed. I read about this one lady who never in her life picked up a paintbrush, but one day she did, thanks to her life coach, and uncovered a talent and love for painting. Life’s purpose, each and every one of us was put on this earth for a purpose, to teach and love others. A life coach help’s define your life’s purpose.

Having a life coach can help you in all aspects of life, personal or business. Let’s talk about business, to grow in a company you first need to define your values for that job, and work from there, take one step at a time. There really are no negative aspects to having a life coach, obvisoully you need to pay for their service, but TRUST me its worth every penny. My experience with my life coach has been fun, and amazing. Each day I unfold my ture self, and realize my self-values. Having a life coach in my life has only sent me down the right path! 

Add a comment December 19, 2008