Some Texts I wanted to save

 

Ralae McAvoy <rhmcavoy@gmail.com>	2:29 PM (0 minutes ago)
to me

10/28/22 Caleb: Dad, when do you stop being a kid. (Loudly interrupts) and I don’t mean Kid of God because I know we are always a kid of God. I mean just when you are a grown up. 

10/28/22 Caleb worries that he will be embrassed for bringing a present to a birthday party 

Caleb: show me where it says to bring a present on the invite? 

Ralae: it doesn’t say it on the invite. It is just customary. 

Jessica: can you imagine getting an invite that says “bring a present!” or someone says to you ”don’t forget my present” 

Caleb: that is what I say to Michelle all the time, I only got two presents from the McAvoy’s when I turned 7. 

Jessica: really, who didn’t get you one? 

Ralae: You got 3 presents for your birthday 

Caleb: oh, it was when I was 6. 

Jessica: wow, we’re going back two years 

(Ralae asks Jessica what I think of Caleb going to a neighbor to ask if she finished his goodie bag) 

Jessica: Caleb sometimes people have good intentions but they don’t have enough time and money to do it all Caleb: I would be totally fine if someone came to me and asked if I had the goodie bags ready. 

Jessica: right, but how many goodie bags have you given out. Did you get me a birthday present? 

Caleb (looks at Jessica like she's crazy): Do you know how much money I have? 

Ralae: Caleb’s love language is gift giving. Well, really gift receiving. 

(Caleb gets back from party) Caleb: Papa Haws needs to give us all 8 presents, I mean 4 presents, because he is going to miss two Christmas’ and Birthdays’ 

A conversation with Caleb on the way to the dr: Mom, I wish I could really see a robber in real life. Why’s that? Because I’ve never been able to use my full strength and I really want to use my full strength. You can use your full strength in tackle football someday. What?! You want me to kill someone that is a good person and a kid?! I don’t think you’d kill them if you used your full strength. Oh, I would totally kill them. That’s not safe. Do you want me to grow up and be a bad guy? No, of course not. Well, then don’t tell me to use my full strength against a good person, like a kid playing football. Ok, maybe only use half of your strength. Well, then you’re asking me to break bones, and I don’t know if that’s a good idea… (May we all have such confidence ) 

***Ralae's text to Mercedes to show Luke

Can you show this to Luke? Luke, thank you for trusting me with your spiritual experiences. Thank you for trusting me enough to share with me your experience about seeing angels last night. I truly believe that Heavenly Father has great faith in you and you have a great work to do on this earth. Each of my children were sent to earth at this time for the purpose of bringing souls to Christ. You are Valiant and chosen to be His soldiers in these last days. Each of you have unique spiritual gifts, pay attention to those gifts that they may guide you and help you know the missions for which you were sent to earth for. You have a gift of the spirit that allows you to make special spiritual connections in your life. What I mean is that you can apply the scriptures to your life in special ways. You also have the gift of having your eyes open to the great works of God that He is able to manifest great things to you through spiritual experiences because of your faith in Him. I’m thankful that you felt the spirit yesterday through music. I would encourage you to write down (today) the experience you had. That way you can reflect on it and learn from it and remember it. Find a quiet spot and a quiet time and record it (maybe google docs should be a place to start a journal?). Anyway, you’re a good boy and I love you. You’ll see many great things in your life if you have the eyes to see in righteousness. I love you! I read this chapter today on angels and thought it was not a coincidence and thought maybe you should study it. Moroni 7 

Today in the car, Hannah was reminiscing about last year when she gave a Valentine to a boy and asked him if he’d be her Valentine. He said no and then ate the chocolates anyway. Hannah proceeded to tell her siblings, “I mean, that was so rude! He ate the chocolates anyway! Doesn’t he know that he’s supposed to give them back to me so that I can cry while I eat them?! That’s how love works!!” 

***Experience Mercedes shared with me in a text:

Spiritual Insight I was thinking about a verse of a song, it says, “the drought breaks with the tears of a mother, a baby’s cry is the sound of love, come down come down Emmanuel.” I can’t help thinking how true this is. My mom always jokes around that’s she has a special part in Heavenly Fathers heart. I used to think it was a joke, but now I see truth behind the statement. Whenever we enter a drought, my mom will pray for rain. Soon enough we all grumpily awake to rain on our windows and the crack of thunder. But it’s not just my mom who holds a spot in His heart, I think it’s every mother. Hence the reference, “the drought breaks with the tears of a mother.” Moms are a very important part of the Plan of Happiness and our society in general. Without moms, kids would never know the world and what it could become. Children wouldn’t be able to find their way and make it back to heaven. I think Lauren Daigle is referring to this point, but I also think she is referring to the deep care mothers feel towards all children. (Most of the time) My mother cares for each and every child as if they are her own. She once got all fired up at the HOA president for getting all up in my brother’s best friends grill. She does this with every child, she treated them like they are her own and I’ve seen other moms do this as well. Moms get protective over certain situations because they picture their own kid in that same situation and feel empathy toward the person being assaulted. The line I’m referring to could also be taking about the empathy mothers tend to have and how they want the best for their kids. The drought could be symbolizing the surrounding world and the tears showing how the mother doesn’t want her kids to grow up in it. She’s praying for it to come to an end. For her kids to be happy and understand. The second line, “A baby’s cry is the sound of love,” was a bit more difficult to decipher. However, when I hear it I think of my baby cousins and the innocence of children. I believe this line is explaining how when a baby cry’s, they are taking in the world around them and they are just beginning to understand everything that’s so different from what they’re used to. The baby is asking for someone to help them in the only possible way they can ask for help, an innocent cry. Therefore, when she says, “a baby’s cry is the sound of love,” she is referring to the point of the baby needing help and in return cheering everyone around them up as well. Also, she could be explaining how a baby’s cry means they’re asking for you specifically and that’s their way of saying they love you. The last line was easy, “come down, come down, Emmanuel.” Lauren Daigle throughout the whole song is giving examples of people in pain and inflicted. She’s asking the Savior to come down to heal us all again. She’s praying for the Second Coming. 

***Experience Ralae wrote in text to family:

I started a new tradition. A candlelight Christmas dinner on fancy plates with fancy cups. During dinner, we’d listen to a couple of spiritual Christmas songs, read Luke 2, and then give our gifts to Jesus (true to tradition, we write our gifts down on paper and then put the slips of paper in a fancy box. It’s the first gift we open on Christmas morning). As I was preparing all day for the dinner, cleaning, cooking, planning, I lowered my expectations. I realized that the image I had in my head would probably not be what would come to pass, and I didn’t stress but rolled with the punches. I knew Joshua would participate less than willingly, and he’d probably make some sarcastic remarks. So, when he didn’t want to hold hands around the table during prayer and Mercedes and Taylor Thompson had to hold his wrists, it was ok and I smiled to myself. I knew that there’d be a spill (at least one, maybe two), so when Luke spilled his sparkling juice, again—I smiled to myself. I realized that Caleb is 8 and Hannah is 10, if they broke one of the glasses, I bought them for a dollar so no biggie. It was a close call on two occasions, but nothing was actually broken. There was talking during one of the songs I played, even though I told them to just listen. There was some arguing over who got to light the candles (so we blew them out and gave everyone a chance to light them who wanted to). I asked Jm to take this picture and he had to set up the tripod which took some time and some figuring out, and I smiled to myself. Jon Mark, Jessica and Mercedes were supportive and clearly “had my back”. They tried their best to help reality match the image in my head. But, as I looked around at my family as they were just being who they are naturally, I couldn’t help but feel so much love for them. They were mine, imperfections and all. This Christmas season has been the best one for me. I’ve tried every single day to do something that captured the Christmas spirit. I’ve served and ministered, I’ve worn ugly socks and sweaters. I’ve brought dinner to friends and I’ve written letters. I’ve bit my tongue and held my peace. I connected with that tender baby that was born so long ago and I imagined holding Him. I’ve marveled at how for a moment all of Heaven must have looked on at that stable and rejoiced, for hope was born—love was born—our Savior was born! Because He was born, there is hope in this fallen world. All of it, everything that there is, it all hinged on Jesus Christ coming to earth and doing what He said He’d do. Christmas is hope. So, when I read Luke 2: 10 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” I could not help but cry—which is one of my quirks, and my family rolled with the punches ;) As I looked around the table at my family, I saw the Savior’s light and His goodness reflected in them. My children find the goodness in this world and they shine brightly with His light. But, like Mary, I kept these things and pondered them in my heart. I guess now I’m sharing those ponderings with you . So all of that , that is what these pictures represent. I’m just so thankful. 

***Experience Ralae wrote in text to her parents:

1-14-24 Mercedes got her patriarchal blessing today. As a mother it was wonderful, for Mercedes it was an experience unlike any other. After the blessing, I opened my eyes and saw Mercedes with tears pouring down her cheeks. She had never felt that kind of outpouring of the spirit before. She felt so loved by her Heavenly Father that it manifested in many tears. She was so prepared spiritually to receive her blessing. She studied the topic many times over the last year and fasted and prayed. I knew she was ready, and I think that’s partly what made it so special. As a mother, I see her strengths and I also see her weaknesses from time to time. I feel I know her so well, and I spend so much time praying, trying to figure out how to be the best mother to her. I pray for guidance from the spirit so that I can partner with my Heavenly Father in the task of bringing her back home to Him. Today, I saw so clearly that partnership in action. The patriarch laid his hands upon her head, and full of the spirit, he gave her such a profoundly personal blessing. I knew, and Jon Mark knew, just how intimately Heavenly Father knows His precious daughter. Line after line, point after point, blessing after blessing, it was like the patriarch had a glimpse into her soul and rehearsed it out loud. Jon Mark and I were both blown away by the demonstration of spirit to spirit communication that was happening. Some parts that really stood out to me were: -Mercedes has a very valiant soul. Heavenly Father trusts her. She was reserved to come forth at this time. -She will enjoy a very special relationship with Jesus Christ and that relationship will carry her in times of great sorrow. -She will have a special connection to the scriptures, and a very personal relationship with prayer, and her ability to understand direction for her life. -Discernment is strong with her. -Revelation, wisdom and learning will come easily to her. -She has the capacity to become a great peacemaker and have a calm, peaceful life that is free of contention. -She has a great heart and a strong ability to love and be empathetic. -Her husband will be a wonderful, kind, and valiant man who honors the priesthood. -She is not susceptible to pride as others might be. It was very special to be able to witness that Heavenly Father really and truly knows our Mercedes. She was put in our charge and I feel the responsibility to help shape and mold her into all that she has the potential to be. I already see these qualities in her. I’ve told her many times that she’s got a tender heart and a great sense of right and wrong. She is strong and valiant. She does read and ponder the scriptures daily. She cares deeply for others, and doesn’t judge. She’s just so tender. It was a great experience and I look forward to my other children receiving theirs.