Mack Academy Weblog

Dearest Wendy, Amy and Emily, (we were unaware that Kelly was coming in the future when we wrote this)

Today is June 27, 1998. Your father and I have come to San Francisco for a weekend to talk about the future of our family. We have discussed how we wish to raise each of you, and plan for the future of our family. We projected our thoughts 21 years from now to our 30th wedding anniversary. I will be 58; Dad will be 56; Amy & Wendy will be 27, and Emily will be 22. Amy and Wendy, you will have finished college by that time. You may already be married and beginning to have children of your own. Emily, you will have just finished college. We are attempting to describe what kind of people we would like ourselves and our children to be; what kind of values we would like you to have, and our hopes and goals for your future families.

In Our Marriage
We desire :
To have effectively demonstrated a Biblical marriage for our children
To be in love with each other

As A Couple
We will :
Be healthy
Be spiritual leaders in our family
Have a strong sense of family unity and identity - so much so that we all look forward to being together as a family
Keep our minds sharp through rich and constant education
Develop relationships with our children so that we are welcome and involved in the lives our children and grandchildren
Serve in ministry as the Lord leads us
Be prepared for retirement
Have recorded a journal of our family as a narrative and in photos
Have a firm grasp of our family tree

As a Family
Your father and I desire to create a family that:
Is supportive and encouraging of one another
Prays, sings and worships together at home
Is involved in our church and community
Enjoys family activities together
Displays affection physically with lots of hugs and kisses
Uplifts and supports each other in times of need
Gets together as a family, and extended family, once a quarter/month
Enjoys spending time together and looks forward to the next family get together
Celebrates each other's events and achievements
Has a home where people feel safe, relaxed and welcome
Encourages relationships with extended family members
Has home of peace and tranquility
Has a home of traditions
Has a home where our children and their friends like to spend time
Serves others
Shares common hobbies and interests
Has the willingness to walk away from activities, entertainment and relationships which are inconsistent with these values

As Parents
As parents we desire to raise children who:

Spiritual
Will be in the world but not of the world
Are assured of their salvation
Are walking with the Lord
Have a thorough knowledge and understanding of God's Word, the Bible