The prophet Amos, a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees, had a parallel, and more challenging, calling as a shepherd of human souls. So too does Garret Keizer, an Episcopalian minister to the community of Island Pond in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. This profoundly contemporary book displays not only Keizer's knowledge of life's small practicalities (winding the church clock, shopping for groceries), but also his insights about faith and the mysterious ways of God. With an eye attuned to both the pleasures and foibles that make life on earth so rich, he presents a refreshing and often hilarious account of the hands-on work needed to maintain a parish and sustain its spirit. He is a man who believes that God's intentions, if seldom apparent, are inevitably compassionate and compelling.

This how-to handbook defines what school culture is, how it works, and why it is critically important, and helps you assess how your school measures up.

All the Men of the Bible is a portrait gallery and reference library of over 3,000 named biblical characters. A monumental achievement, this book puts comprehensive information on men of the Bible at your fingertips, including a list of major characters. Besides named individuals, it also classifies the thousands upon thousands of unnamed men. And it explores the attributes of the greatest man of all: Jesus, God's biblical model for manhood. Herbert W. Lockyer's 'All' books give you life-enriching insights into the Bible. From characters you can learn from, to teachings you can apply, to promises you can stand on and prophecies you can count on, Lockyer's time-honored works help you wrap your mind around the Bible and get it into your heart. Lockyer's books include All the Apostles of the Bible, All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible, All the Doctrines of the Bible, All the Men of the Bible, All the Women of the Bible, All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible, All the Miracles of the Bible, All the Parables of the Bible, All the Prayers of the Bible, and All the Promises of the Bible.

Readers have come to depend on Jim Duke's comprehensive handbooks for their ease of use and artful presentation of scientific information. Following the successful format of his other CRC handbooks, Duke's Handbook of Medicinal Plants of the Bible contains 150 herbs listed alphabetically and by scientific name. Each entry provides illustrations of the plant, synonyms, notes, common names, activities, indications, dosages, downsides and interactions, natural history, and extracts. It includes Biblical quotes as well as comments on points of interest.

Every person has seen a tree and maybe planted or climbed one! In all world religions, various trees are considered sacred. Trees have the ability to help us reach wholeness if we learn their wisdom and integrate it into our lives. This abecedarian--a book whose contents are in alphabetical order--explores the spiritual growth that is possible by reflecting on the wisdom of woody plants, which help humans experience the divine. In these pages you can explore trees from Acacia to Zaqqum. For each of the forty entries, the author presents a text identifying the tree, a reflective study, a question for journaling or personal meditation, and a concluding prayer. Some trees you may have heard about, and some may be new to you. The spiritual life is enhanced by the trees that surround and share the earth with us while also disclosing the divine to us.

A Bible dictionary is an essential resource for anyone who studies the Bible?

A classic he-said-she-said romantic comedy! This updated anniversary edition offers story-behind-the-story revelations from author Wendelin Van Draanen. The first time she saw him, she flipped. The first time he saw her, he ran. That was the second grade, but not much has changed by the seventh. Juli says: “My Bryce. Still walking around with my first kiss.” He says: “It’s been six years of strategic avoidance and social discomfort.” But in the eighth grade everything gets turned upside down: just as Bryce is thinking that there’s maybe more to Juli than meets the eye, she’s thinking that he’s not quite all he seemed. This is a classic romantic comedy of errors told in alternating chapters by two fresh, funny voices. The updated anniversary edition contains 32 pages of extra backmatter: essays from Wendelin Van Draanen on her sources of inspiration, on the making of the movie of Flipped, on why she’ll never write a sequel, and a selection of the amazing fan mail she’s received. Awards and accolades for Flipped: SLJ Top 100 Children’s Novels of all time IRA-CBC Children’s Choice IRA Teacher’s Choice Honor winner, Judy Lopez Memorial Award/WNBA Winner of the California Young Reader Medal “We flipped over this fantastic book, its gutsy girl Juli and its wise, wonderful ending.” — The Chicago Tribune “Van Draanen has another winner in this eighth-grade ‘he-said, she-said’ romance. A fast, funny, egg-cellent winner.” — SLJ, Starred review “With a charismatic leading lady kids will flip over, a compelling dynamic between the two narrators and a resonant ending, this novel is a great deal larger than the sum of its parts.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred review

In the remote mill town of Salmon Falls, Vermont, the dead of winter can feel like death itself. Jobs are scarce, kids are bored, and it sometimes seems there's nothing better to do than drink. But when eighteen-year-old Kyle Nelson and a motley group of friends decide to challenge both the legal drinking age and the local drinking culture with a daring act of civil disobedience, they find there's more to do than they ever imagined. Garret Keizer's gripping novel about young men and women in revolt bears witness to the power of ideas, the bonds of friendship, and the trials of working-class kids on the margins of American society. His story never flinches in the face of those forces that conspire against, but needn't overcome, the resilient spirits of the young.

The editor of "St. Anthony Messenger" magazine for many years, Fr. McCloskey has answered many questions in his "Ask a Franciscan" column. He mines that wealth of material to find the most helpful questions and answers for readers to help them see the connection between their faith and their spiritual growth as disciples of Jesus Christ.