Reaping the Harvest

I realize I have written posts about harvesting corn, meat, and other hobby farm products, but this post is a review of Diana Waring's encouraging book Reaping the Harvest:  The Bounty of Abundant-Life Homeschooling.

I spent several weeks absorbing the jewels Waring packed into these 200 pages because I needed time for it to sink in.  Besides that, it’s one of those books you just don’t want to end.  In her inimitable style, Diana Waring writes with an energetic and humorous voice.

This was a wonderful book for me to read as our school year began since I have two high schoolers this year.  In the first part of the book, Waring addresses the years of preparation building up to the teen years.   In part two she addresses the years "in the trenches" and especially focuses on sowing the seeds of ambition, courage, good habits, and learning to think.  Her section on thinking was especially good, over-viewing different types of intelligence and worldview and logic.  The last section was about (sniff, sniff) letting go, shooting our arrows out into the world, and giving our children a focus of serving God with their lives--being ambassadors for Him.

Frankly, there is so much in this book I don't even know how to begin to write a decent review.  I'd like to just tell you to go buy it and read it--over and over again.  To whet your appetite, here are just a few of the many, many quotes I underlined.

The JOYS OF PARENTING TEENAGERS

“This can be the most wonderful time of all for a parent, holding the richest moments, the greatest opportunities, and the best growing seasons.  Everything we have been working on as parents up to this point has been mere preparation for the really good stuff:  TEENAGERS! (1)

“Got teens?  You lucky dog.  Spend time with them; enjoy them; listen to them; and love them.  They are the most incredible people, these emerging adults, and they can become the best friends you’ll ever have” (19).

TIPS FOR PARENTING TEENS

“It is possible to have healthy relationships with your teenagers IF you spend enough time (quality and quantity) and IF you hold a place of influence in their lives by teaching them yourself” (9).

“Stop reacting and start listening.  Listen to them like you listen to a friend.  Learn the gentle art of querying without pushing.  Create an atmosphere and attitude where hearts, dreams, and concerns can safely be revealed.  God has been at work in them—in the deep and hidden places of their hearts, and we will never know anything about it if we don’t shut our mouths, quit directing their EVERY step, and just listen to them” (15).

“Let us be the liberators, not the jailers, of our teenagers” (25).

“In the same way that delighting the heart of God is not about obeying a myriad of nit-picky, legalistic, make-yourself-perfect-type rules, this parenting of teenagers is not about issuing a myriad of nit-picky, legalistic, make-yourself-perfect=type rules.  We need love—love which takes the time to listen rather than merely react, love displayed by wise decisions and careful actions, love shown by the parents, and love shown by the teenagers” (33).

PERSONAL GROWTH FOR PARENTS

“Transparency is powerful.  It is not pretending to be perfect.  It is not putting on a show for the sake of others.  When we are transparent before our children, it is letting them into the things we do right AND into the things which we do wrong (which are much harder to be vulnerable about).  The things we do wrong, if we allow God to transform them, can become the most powerful inducements for good in our children’s lives” (64).

“As parents, we don’t have to be perfect in order to  positively impact our children; we just need to keep changing, maturing, and growing up” (86).

"Will your teens finish high school with a checklist marked off and little memory of what they learned , OR will they finish with an amazing grasp of the materials they have studied, a voracious hunger and enthusiasm for learning, and an equipping with the knowledge and understanding necessary to pursue the next step in their lives?  Time is limited--so choose wisely and choose well!  You can't do it all--so do what is best!" (145).

"Don't forget, God is uniquely leading you through life, your story will NOT be a carbon copy of someone else's.  God is far more creative, far more lavish, far wiser than that.  He is looking to show His greatness through us in wonderfully unique and powerful ways. . .We need to imitate those who have hearts and attitudes pleasing to the Lord, but that is not the same as trying to live exactly, to the dot and tittle, just the way they do.  you do not have to live in the same town, wear the same clothes, eat the same food, use the same curriculum. They have a unique walk, designed by God.  And so do you" (212). 

I'm "in the trenches" of this season, so I don't have the wisdom of experience.  I appreciate the many, many words of encouragement and advice Diana Waring shared in this book.  It is empowering and directs the reader over and over again to the Creator of our precious teens.  I hope to read it again soon.