Mack Academy Weblog

Dearest Wendy, Amy and Emily, [we were unaware that Kelly was coming in the future when we wrote this] 
Your father and I have come to San Francisco for a weekend away and 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 
be in love with each other and to demonstrate that love

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 the Bible 
Actively seek God's will in their lives 
Have a knowledge and love of hymns 

Education 
Are well educated and value a good education 
Are equipped as educators of their children and others 
Are effective communicators, both verbally and written 
Have problem solving and reasoning skills 
Know how to establish goals and work toward their completion 
Have a love of literature, the arts and history 
Read music and play musical instruments 
Know how to sing 
Have sound financial and time management skills 
Will be aware of their Jewish and Irish heritage 
Will be physically fit and enjoy sports and outdoor activities 
Know how to survive in the wilderness 
Love and know how to care for animals 

Character 
Serve others willingly 
Will be ladies, and have good manners 
Have integrity 
Value honor and truth 
Value hard work and take pride in their work 
Know how to be a friend 
Have compassion 
Have respect for parents and others 
Have humility 
Are Virtuous 
Can be responsibly independent 
Are effectively interdependent 
Are imaginative and resourceful 

Family Preparedness 
Have fond memories of their childhood 
Value tradition 
Are Virgins 
Have been trained in effective parenting skills 
Are prepared to be a wife 
Are prepared to be a mother 
Have developed good judgement and discernment in choosing their spouse 
Know how to care for themselves, their husband and their children 

Citizen 
Understand basic politics 
Able to make decisions and vote intelligently 
Respect those who gave their lives to make this country free 
Awareness of U.S. and World History 
Are patriotic and value America's heritage