hey guys! 

welcome back to school!  can you believe it?  by now, you've been in school for almost a month already.  austin lifeguard has been in two schools so far.  we are getting so excited about this year.  we hope to see more of you than we have ever seen before! 

let us hear from you.

tell us how  your summer was.
tell us what you most want to accomplish this school year.
tell us what you miss most about last year.
tell us how excited you are to see us.

we'll see you soon!
austin lifeguard

Current Mood: excited

OK, I know it's crunch time for Prom planning...dresses, dinner reservations, tuxedos, how will I do my hair, & much more.  Prom can be an amazing event!  I know I had a great Prom night.  However, it's also a night where many teenagers end up becoming parents or getting an STD.  Don't let that happen to you.  Set some boundaries, respect your date, & enjoy being a teenager by not putting pressure on yourself & making a decision that you might end up regretting later.  After prom, plan on some fun stuff that will fill the time:  bowling, eat again, laser tag, eat again, air soft (wear goggles!), eat again, all night movie marathon, & maybe...eat again!  Stay in groups to keep things from getting out of control & just have a great time.  Just remember, you probably won't marry this person.  And even if you do, isn't he/she worth waiting for?  


 

I know my wife was! (Picture from 1990)

Matt

LOVE is in the air...or is it LUST?  Relationships are awesome when they work out. But when someone uses our heart as a hand grenade that's no fun!  Isn't funny how we use terms like I'm "falling" in love, I have a "crush" on them, or I'm "madly" in love. If you think about it, "falling" is no fun, getting "crushed" hurts, & "mad" is a mental condition! 

As Valentines Day approaches & you're tempted to use those 3 magic words: (No guys, not I am hungry!) "I LOVE YOU," make sure you know the difference in LOVE & LUST so your heart doensn't get stomped on!

Tell us your thoughts...Do you love Valentines Day or cringe when it comes?  Why or why not?

Stuff. We always want more of it. What kind of stuff do you want for Christmas?

What does Christmas mean to you?

We hope this holiday break will give you much needed rest and time to slow down and watch for opportunities to help others in need. You never know how you can make a difference in someone's life.

Tell us your stories!

and most of all, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Matt & Jen
Chantel
JB
Felicia
Debby

Today's favorite link: www.campaignforrealbeauty.com - check it out!

When I was 16yo I thought I knew everything and made sure my parents and all my teachers knew that as well. I wasn't cocky and didn't think I was rude, that's just how it was. I mean...the world revolved around me and this is how it should be, right? I didn't give alot of thought to my behavior or how it might affect other people. With that mentality I did what I wanted and let the chips fall "so to speak." Through a series of circumstances I realized that my actions affected others. I knew my choices could affect me on down the road, but I didn't realize how many people I was leaving in my wake. I ruined the life of a young lady through an unhealthy relationship. I gave myself a reputation where no one took me seriously. My grades were in the toilet (former honor student) and I gambled with my future. I didn't give alot of thought beyond HS.

But then a radical change occured... I had a mentor come in to my life. He helped me see things more clearly, He led by example, and plugged me in to things that began to shape me into who I am today. I started serving other people, doing things that I didn't get anything in return for (except feel good about myself). I started hanging out with new friends who had "goals" for their life. You know, those things that you want to accomplish in your life other than waking up in the morning and living through another day! What seemed like "all the sudden," I now had purpose to my life. Grades picked up. My parents were proud of me, and best of all...I felt good about myself and my future. It wasn't "all the sudden." It was a process of changing my old, unhealthy habits so I could have an awesome future. And you know what...it worked. I do have an awesome life! And it happened because of the changes that I made in HS. Who would have thought? HS was the most important years of my life that would shape me into the person I would be now and for the rest of my life. Pretty cool!

Plant an apple tree & you get apples. Plant a cactus and you get prickly pears. What kind of fruit do you want in your life...apples or prickly pears? Your choices, good or bad, determine your fruit in life. It's your life...choose good!

Have an awesome week!

-Matt

Current Mood: optimistic