Savoring Sundays

SPICY-SWEET BOURBON PECANS Does the thought of the approaching holidays fill you with panic? If so, you are not alone.  December can be a particularly chaotic time for most families. There’s shopping, school holiday events, office Christmas…

BY JEFF YOUNG In November 1971 Carly Simon released her second studio album, Anticipation. The title track of that album soared to No. 3 on Billboard’s adult contemporary chart, and the following year it nabbed her a Grammy nomination for…

The summer heat is relentless in south Louisiana. With its humid, subtropical climate, folks in these parts tend to slow down significantly in the summertime. It’s too hot to move fast. But slowing down is good for us anyway, right? It…

by Jeff Young For centuries Catholics have fostered a special devotion to Mary during the month of May. What child in his or her Catholic school or parish hasn’t been mesmerized by the solemnity and sweetness of the annual May Crowning? I…

Thanksgiving embodies the idyllic family feast, at least for us here in America. Our literature, movies, television shows, and commercials (!) all pick up the theme: Thanksgiving is for family.  Even our statistical data bears this out: 95…

October is my favorite month. With October comes a distinct change in the air. And after the relentless heat of summer, almost any change in weather — no matter how small — is a welcomed change. Yet it’s more than just the change in…

Whether it’s the radiant pastels and shadows of a sunset, the brilliance of a blooming sunflower, the delicate dignity of a daisy, or the infectious giggle of a toddler, the most beautiful things in life tend to be the simplest. And as…

You have probably heard it said that kids spell love T-I-M-E. Most of us know instinctively that this is true. But knowing doesn’t necessarily make it easy to put into practice. Time is the one thing most of us claim to lack, no matter…

April showers bring May flowers, as the saying goes. And here in southern Louisiana, that is certainly true. We also get a little extra here because April showers tend to bring more May showers. But that’s OK. Living in a tropical climate…

by Jeff Young Jesus cooked. He cooked breakfast, to be precise. You can find the account in John 21:1-14. This was after he rose from the dead, after he had already appeared to the disciples, after he had already breathed on them and made…