Open

Excellent study helps combined with a very readable translation has made this my favorite reading Bible.

The translators have done such a good job of rendering the original languages into a very classy English that I believe this translation to be a good choice for public reading as well.

(I own 0785205462.) If you read my other reviews of Bibles, you'll see I'm a stickler when it comes to various printing and Bible construction methods. I'm not the biggest fan of Thomas Nelson because they always seem to have trouble printing up their Bibles with an even ink color from page to page. This one is no exception, but I'm very pleased by it being available in the New Living Translation.

The Open Bible overall is very good. But if you're interested in investing in only one study Bible, I strongly suggest Thomas Nelson's "Nelson Study Bible."

I'm happy to have this one in my library.

[addition] Almost forgot; another great plus is there's a very good dictionary in this Study Bible. The great this is they've placed it before, not after, the Bible. I really like this idea because now Genisis, Exodus, etc. have a nice buffer between themselves and the front cover. This will greatly reduce the wear to the front books of the bible because your opening Genisis 1/4 into the book! Well, I think it's great. Cheers!

You will love the New Living Translation! It is so easy to understand. Finally God's words in the way we speek, "Today". You won't be able to put it down.

Could it be that, just when you thought there was nothing new under the literary sun, Richard Peabody has quietly invented a new genre? Open Joints on Bridge (one of the more intriguing titles to ever see print) is more and other than a collection of very short stories: It is a "poella." Each story has the evocative and titillating precision of poetry. As with films that are so rich in plot, character, dialogue, and visual splendor that they continue to reward on repeated viewings, this jewel of a book invites itself to be read repeatedly. "Dale was the tall brunette in the man's tweed who drank Myer's rum at whatever poetry reading you happened to attend. Shenendoah's pride. Groomed at Sweet Briar, Hood, or Hollins. The kind of woman who'd laugh knowingly when Natalie Barney's name croped up in conversation, while other women laughed nervously." "But as Jesus' stack of beer cups more and more resenbled a handheld Tower of Pisa, and as the girl seemed to giggle and warm to everything he said, it became clear to both Carlos and me that something had to give." "And with the faint grin displayed from any a dust jacket photo, he walked away..." These stories agitate you to return again and again to puzzle over why a particular handful of words are causing such a delightful disturbance in your mind.

This is an excellent collection of quirky short stories; it has wit, humor and intelligence. Peabody has a great eye for the nuances of family and romantic relationships.

Struggling artists, acid heads, sports fans...this collection of 20 shorts offers something for everyone. Set mostly in Washington, D.C., Peabody's tight prose shows us the city that lies underneath the marble veneer in a humorous and often touching way.

This incredible book of daily readings has enabled me to handle many difficult and confusing situations which I encounter at my place of work and elsewhere in life. The book provides clear and simple knowledge about ways to "change our minds" and become mindful of the place of balance within each of us. Highly recommended.

I've been reading this book over and over - year after year - for 5 years now. I start my day with it every morning and have given it to many women friends - who have also loved it. I highly recommend this for any woman who loves (and needs) a daily dose of mindfulness and inspiration.

This is an excellent daily reader for any woman wanting to become more spiritual-minded. I've used it for years! It will make a special gift for close friends.

OPEN is the answer to many of the industry's problems. Sure it isn't panacea, but it is the next best thing we currently have.

This is a book that provides a comprehensive discussion of the entire object oriented process. It really provides first rate support in terms of the design of a software engineering process. Well done.

This book provides what has been missing in Object Technology: a process. The book is not yet another methodology but is a properly put together full lifecycle process that can be tailored for small, medium, large to super large projects of all types. It provides the much needed Software Engineering process framework lacking in all other OO methods.

Since the choices in the field of Disney-related guides are vast, I was amazed that one should rise so far to the top of the class. The work is informative and wittily written. Fenster's humor will keep you rolling and his completeness smokes the competition. This ought to be the bible for any family or individual planning a Central Florida vacation. A really fabulous resource which directed my family's vacation and will do so again.

I had a great vacation with this book

This is a marvellous compendium of useful facts about the world's largest theme park. I found it highly illuminating - it has profoundly altered the way I percieve Walt Disney World and its manifold attractions. Since I first tried it a few years ago, I've been using this book to guide my various trips to Disney World ever since.

The Open Road is for everyone looking to take the big cities stress away... I got a copy from my brother and read it as fast as him... Couldn't stop!! It is wonderful!! Full of exciting situations, it makes you want to go backpacking in search of your place in the world. Anyone seeking for a positive change of life, anyone bored of working in a dead-end job, any nature lover, everybody should read this book. I like very much reading about expeditions and outdoor life, and I have read a lot. But this book has taken from very deep inside of me the feeling that there is a better life waiting for me, for everybody who really wants to improve his life. It is not a book about mysthic and religion. It is a book about true and joyfull life. So, take my advice and read it... You won't be disappointed!!

In life there are farmers and explorers. The farmerscrops the fields that others have found. The explorersopen new horizons to the future, working alone and often against convention. Douglas McKinley has written about the explorers. He has written about people who are willing to turn their backs on material objects and daily routines, in order to probe the soul of life. Another bonus is that Open Road has the best surfing prose I have ever read. It is a must-read book for everyone's Christmas stocking

This is a novel that comes alive as you follow the adventures of a young man backpacking around the Rocky Mountains and the midwest in search of himself. Filled with irony and surprises and subtle humor, The Open Road is one of the few books I've read that you gain something from. An excellent novel.

Richard Lischer had a plan -- graduate from seminary, have a few significant pastorates, teach at a seminary, end up as president and 'big wheel' of the denomination. As the lyric says, life is what happens when you are making other plans. In the book 'Open Secrets', Lischer recounts many of the awakenings he experienced as pastor of a small-town, isolated community church, far from the seminary where he'd studied, and far from the city and 'powers' he'd dreamt of.

Lischer begins this autobiographical tale with a brief overview of his life prior to his arrival at New Cana -- only child, good but standard education, 'typical' rebellions in school and seminary -- a fairly conventional upbringing, with only a few points of deviation from the norm. He did have visions of something better, however, and was shocked at his appointment to the church in New Cana, a town so remote that it was difficult to find on a map, and even once he was there, it was still difficult to find.

There was a symbol of foreboding from the first day, in that the cross atop the church was broken. This was a broken community, and had been for generations, in many ways. It was stable, secure in its structure and in its dysfunction, and Lischer's arrival was greeted with what was probably the traditional lack of fanfare. There was one 'ruling family' of the congregation, and insiders were clearly differentiated from the outsiders. Lischer and family were definitely outsiders.

The conflicts in the town were fairly typical of the human condition -- there were family troubles ranging from abuse and neglect to simple emotional wear-and-tear. Overshadowing the town was the almost constant depression that accompanies an agricultural-based community; working the land is hard in the best of times, so people grew accustomed to a hard life.

Lischer ultimately finds value in the community, but one wonders upon reading this memoir if that value was realised largely (or only) in hindsight. The struggle through the conflicts, both internal and external, are very apparent at each turn. Nothing came easily in Lischer's ministry. Ultimately, however, the community was accepting, and Lischer was similarly accepting. One man, Leonard, who loudly proclaimed, 'I didn't vote for you' at the first meeting of congregation and pastor, was in fact the last one to give thanks and blessing as the Lischers departed for new ministries three years later.

The people recounted in Lischer's tale are genuine. We only get the interior reflections of Lischer, but one can sense, among this uncomplicated community, the motivations and simple ways of true living among the parishioners. When Lischer tried for an innovation in the liturgy by permitting guitar music, one member of congregation reacted badly. Worried, Lischer wondered how the trouble might be resolved, others in the congregation assured Lischer not to worry, saying that the trouble-maker had always been trouble anyway.

As a portrait of small-town life, this is a unique and interesting perspective. While the world of the 60s is no longer with us, in many ways the community of New Cana (as many small agricultural towns were) was largely passed over by many of the cultural developments of the 60s (and 70s, and 80s); thus there is a timeless character to this narrative.

Fascinating to read, practical and spiritual at the same time, the reader will be enriched by Lischer's experiences.

A Portrait of the Pastor as a Young Man. An intimate look at a pastor and his first church. This is a wonderful look back at Lischer's early years in ministry. It details some of his struggles as a well-educated city boy trying to relate to a rural congregation, and expertly captures the difficulties of the early years in ministry for anyone trying to reconcile many years of education with the reality of life as a pastor. Lischer's wonderfully understated sense of humor comes through in many places. Highly recommended.

With engaging wit and warm insight Richard Lischer allows us to sneak a peak behind his first pastorate from Lutheran Seminary. Being unfamiliar with Lutheranism I was awed by the profundity of belief and the rich relationships into the community that he entered. He entered as a virgin and left as a lover of his people that God graciously allowed him to pastor. Take the time to read this book and enter heartache, grace, empathy, communion and fellowship of the deepest level. Experience the privilege of a new way of seeing people.

Most kids love dinosaurs- well I know my 2 year old son does. . My son loves this book! Nice simple illustrations, good text with nice rhythm to the words. Flaps are pretty sturdy,stand up pretty well to the abuse. Nice little surprise ending to the story. Highly recommend this book for the preschooler.

My 2 1/2 year old loves this book. It is simple and fun

My son Steven is now seven years old. He has Down Syndrome. This is his favorite book and he knows it by heart. It brings him so much joy.

This book is one of a series on OPEN (Object-oriented Process Environment and Notation). Unlike the other books in the OPEN series, this book is independent of any methodology and can also be used in non object-oriented environments.

The title is appropriate: this 426 page book and accompanying CD ROM is a toolbox of techniques that can be applied in any environment or within the context of any methodology. It is, literally, an encyclopedia of techniques that consultants and business analysts can use to perform a variety of tasks or produce associated deliverables.

If you are using this book as a generic compendium of tools and techniques, or you are not interested in OPEN, you can safely skip the first chapter that is an overview of OPEN. If you work within an object-oriented environment you may find chapters 2 through 4 useful. These chapters describe OPEN and how it relates to other O-O approaches. If not, you can also skip these and jump to Appendix A, which is the heart of the book.

Appendix A is a collection of core techniques in alphabetical order ranging from abstract class identification to workshops. There are over one hundred core techniques, each of which is presented using the following format: Technique Name and Star rating - 1 star = well tried, 2 stars = reasonably well validated, 3 stars = experimental. Focus, typical tasks for which the technique is used, related techniques, entry criteria and underpinning concepts. This header information is followed by: Technique description Technique useage Deliverables and output

The CD ROM contains additional techniques that make this one of the most comprehensive resources available to a consultant. The content on the CD ROM is in PDF format and is divided into three additional appendices. Additional techniques are in two of these appendices, with the third covering supporting reference material.

What I like about this book is the wide coverage of techniques. All of the standard fare is covered, and a lot of esoteric ones are also included. I use it as a memory jogger or idea book when I an trying to find that "perfect" approach to performing a task or creating a deliverable. Some minor irritations include the star ratings - I found them to be somewhat ambiguous, and the fact that the techniques are presented in alphabetical order instead of grouped by class. A cross-reference in the front of the book would remedy that complaint.

However, this book deserves a solid five stars because it is comprehensive and packs a lot of information into 426 pages and a CD ROM. If you are a consultant or analyst this book is money well spent, and will make a great addition to your short list of everyday tools and references.

This book contains lots of interesting techniques, many of which are essential to the business of software development. Excellent value for money.

If you are serious about the actual business of developing OO software, don't go past this book. Have one on your shelf, although mine doesn't stay there very long.

warm, heartfelt, highly compelling book by a warm, caring person. wonderful book. i HIGHLY recommend it.

Bettine has given us a wonderful account of her life and her music. Always interesting, forever uplifting, and deeply moving, this book is a must to read!

Open Your Ears to Love is an amazing book by a remarkable woman. This is an inspirational book that beautifully chronicals the life story of Bettine Clemen one of the worlds most acclaimed flautists. Her in-depth story of pain and adversity culminates in a fantastic life full of love and joy. Reading Open Your Ears to Love is a rewarding and captivating experience. Bettine invites you to join her and travel her life around the world as seen through her eyes as she shares experiences that awaken your soul to the wonderous gifts of life. This is a special book that I could not put down and is as glorious as her always enchanting music. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys laughter, adventure and the gift of love. In addition to her life's story Bettine offers many valuable exercises and recommendations for other books and music that I found very helpful. Bettine has created a memorable book worthy of its many accolades and I thank her for sharing her incredible story. Higly reccomended. 5 stars.