YOUTH & YOUNG ADULT PAGES
P
AT
RI
u cC
rd
y
ne i v ng i D ivi L
A CI
M
Making Your Fashion Dollars Count
FASHION STOP
Getting Our House in Order With the coming of spring there comes new growth and renewed energy in each of us. Perhaps this new energy in us is due to the freshness and newness all around us in nature. Just as nature takes this time to renew and refresh itself with spring, we too desire this renewal and freshness in our lives. It is a renewal that can be most observable and evident in our homes. We call this renewing our “spring cleaning”. A ritual and tradition in many homes, spring is typically a time when many of us will try to reorganize or refresh our homes. Since a family typically makes up a home, the reorganizing or refreshing of that home often involves the whole family. Father, mother and children will generally each take part in this task. It is a time to organize closets, drawers, cabinets, rooms or garages. It is a time to shed or rid our homes of things we no longer want or need. Specifically, it is a time to get rid of the clutter in our lives. It is a time for turning a new leaf in our lives or at least in our homes we hope! In doing so, we often promise ourselves that once the task is accomplished we vow to keep things straight and in order. In essence, it is a vow to get and keep our house in order! Most of us have experienced the pride and joy that we get in return after completing the sometimes overwhelming or daunting challenge of spring cleaning or the organization of our home. In addition to this pride and joy of achievement, we also gain other benefits. These benefits may include the satisfaction of finally being organized, more space, less stress due to less clutter, comfort and feelings of a burden being lifted. Consequently, while the benefits received from having a clean and well organized home are important, necessary and joyous indeed, these benefits are pale in comparison with what God’s Divine Plan offers us for getting our house in order. For our efforts for physically cleaning and organizing our home are for looks and merely shows what’s on the surface. Thus, our accomplishments for this type of home organizing brings only temporary joy lasting for only a few months at best, while God’s Divine Plan brings us joy for an eternity. Joshua 24:15 states, “But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord”. The key to having order in our home is dependent upon how we live our lives in our home. We should make sure that in our home things are done according to God’s will and not our own. Our recognition, agreement and putting into action the words of the above scripture serves as fundamental ingredients for truly getting Our House in Order!
Page 4
March 15-31, 2011
Fashion Magazines offer great ideas for utilizing your wardrobe and accessories when on a budget! PHOTO COURTESY OF J.C. PENNEY.COM
Erin and Ryan McCurdy PHALCONSTAR NEWS
With today’s economy
in a tailspin and uncertainty in the workplace, everyone has to be budget
The Kuumba Heritage News
conscience. Families must watch and account for every penny they spend, in doing so there are a few things that should be re-evaluated. In other words, how or where our money is spent is very important. It also means being wise and responsible in making spending decisions. For instance, don’t max out the credit cards just to keep up with the hottest fashions. While keeping up with the latest fashions should not be a top priority during our woeful economic times, there is no reason why one can’t still dress and look their best. The following are a few suggestions that might help you to be fashion savvy while being budget conscience: First, try going shop-
ping in your own closet - we all have those items in our closets with the tags still on them that we somehow never got around to wearing for one reason or another. Well, now is a great time to rediscover why we purchased that special piece that we thought we couldn’t live without. Second, window shop or scan fashion magazines and catalogues for ideas for how to best utilize your current wardrobe pieces which leads to the next suggestion. Third, mix and match the old with the new. For instance, pair up a new top with a skirt or slacks you already have, add a new belt or perhaps a purse to change up the look of a dress or suit you Contined Page 9