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Recharge
Posted on March 7, 2023 Leave a Comment

By Charla Misse About seven years ago, the “power stick” (portable power source for mobile devices) came out. At the time, my then 3-year-old son asked me if there was such a thing that you could take with you and plug into your phone to recharge it if the battery was low. I was totally […]
The Gift of Time
Posted on January 6, 2023 Leave a Comment

By Charla Misse When my husband and son ask me what I want for a present, beignets and a bike ride are always at the top of my list. I don’t really want things from them; what I really want is to spend time with them. When my son was 3, he and I gave […]
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Posted on December 5, 2022 Leave a Comment

By Charla Misse The “Novena to the Holy Spirit for the Seven Gifts” is the oldest of all novenas and the only novena officially prescribed by the Church. During the novena, each of the Holy Spirit’s seven gifts is pondered alone on an individual day: fear, piety, fortitude, knowledge, understanding, counsel and wisdom.
All Souls’ Day
Posted on October 25, 2022 Leave a Comment

By Charla Misse As we approach November, the month dedicated by the Catholic Church to the souls in purgatory, I noticed a reminder in my calendar on All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2: Pray the Our Father and the Apostles’ Creed at church for a plenary indulgence for souls.
Returning a Smile
Posted on September 18, 2022 Leave a Comment

By Charla Misse I’m a smiler. I smile at people when I am running, driving, shopping … Basically, if a person is within my vicinity, I am going to smile at them for no reason other than them just being there. No matter what is happening in my own world, I want to emanate “love.”
Would You Say a Prayer?
Posted on August 14, 2022 Leave a Comment

By Charla Misse I think my favorite and most memorable NOLA Catholic Parenting blogs are those of parents writing about lessons learned from their precious children. My heart swells when a child’s value is recognized, and I am especially touched when God speaks to us through these little ones.
A spiritual athlete
Posted on March 17, 2022 Leave a Comment

By Charla Misse I have been thinking about the many parallels between physical training and spiritual training: By starting small and working up to greater goals, we get stronger, go faster and reach higher. Through persistence, we develop good habits and find ourselves conditioned for even unexpected challenges. At times when we are injured or […]
When I See a Pelican
Posted on February 8, 2022 Leave a Comment

By Charla Misse When I see a pelican, my heart is warmed. I am reminded of my home, of being on the water with my father, of fishing with my husband. … I feel a connection as if the bird knows me. Whether soaring or perching, it seems dignified and special to me. I wouldn’t […]
The Light of the World
Posted on January 1, 2022 Leave a Comment

By Charla Misse When you enter a church, do you check whether the sanctuary lamp is lit? Do you know what this is and what it signifies? I have found that quite a few children as well as adults are unaware of this holy and awe-inspiring symbol. As with many traditions, over time, it can […]
How to Get to Heaven Faster
Posted on November 23, 2021 Leave a Comment

By Charla Misse God wants you to see his face. He wants to embrace you. He wants to spend eternity with you. Our sins, however, prevent this from happening immediately when we pass. Even though Christ is yearning for us and even though our sins are forgiven, we must suffer in purgatory until justice has […]
Got Milkweed?
Posted on October 21, 2021 Leave a Comment

By Charla Misse When I see a butterfly, I am reminded of the miraculous transformations allowed by our supremely powerful and omniscient God in the Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. I think of all the opportunities we have for change in our lives and the great mercy that our Lord extends to us.
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