Resources Books

This book gets five stars because it includes practical information I was able to implement. I hate books on theory that don't give you a sense of how to put that theory into action. We've been able to incorporate these ideas to create a process of our own.

It was well organized, easy to read!, and I loved that the author lets his personality peek through. I actually laughed out loud a couple times and you can't often say that about business books.

Finally I have found a book that makes the complicated simple. Employee benefits and all of its components are both extremely important and overwhelming! Mr. Sears, who obviously is a true expert in this field, walks though a process that while in-depth is still simple to follow and understand. When looking at employee benefits I think there are three objectives most companies are looking for:
1. Provide the best package possible while at
2. The best price available and
3. Save time and internal resources
The Benefits Performance Process provides the path to those objectives through real examples and with an enjoyable style. If you are involved with your companies' employee benefit program, then this book is a must!

Heard him speak at the ISCEBS Symposium...dynamic...got the book from him there. Sears argues that we should apply strategic planning principles to our employee benefits and that failure to do so is one of the reasons they don't work right. But, more than that, he goes on to tell HOW to go about fixing it. I particularly loved the workshop method he outlines. The process outlined here actually goes beyond just employee benefits. I hope he writes a book about planning for broader business issues.

For me, it is great that this isn't a textbook..I don't have time to read those and run a business. I found this to be a lively read. He makes his point and gets on to teaching how to do it.

Every Human Resources Manager, CEO and CFO needs to read "The Benefits Performance Process" and implement the plans outlined within it. Without doing so, they are simply throwing away money and valuable employees. Every company that offers benefits to its employees will want to be sure that they are doing the best that they can when it comes to providing a competitive package while getting their money's worth. Matthew Sears offers the plan to do just that. Whether your company employs 50 or 3,550, you can benefit from this book.

By "Maximizing the Performance of Your Employee Benefit Plan" you will be learning how to assemble a benefits team, analyze current plans and problems, develop concrete objectives and plan for your company's long-term success. Through self-analysis and workshop exercises your team will develop guidelines to follow. From there you will have a plan to follow that will see you through staff changes, acquisitions, and changing regulations. "The Benefits Performance Process" is a workshop to go; it is a plan to help you develop a plan that will eventually benefit your company and your employees.

Matthew T. Sears is an Executive Vice President of Athens Benefits Insurance Services and a Fellow of the International Society of Certified Employee Benefits Specialists. You couldn't ask for a more qualified guru in the benefits performance process. Yet his book is an easy to read, understand and implement guide to improving your benefits plans. Sears is straightforward and concise, while being upbeat and friendly in his text. You likely won't find another business guide like this one and why would you want to? When it comes to improving your current plans, this is the guide to follow.

Don't put off thinking about your benefits plan until the day before your renewal is due. Don't wait until the premiums are upped once again to do something about it. Don't fear the CFO telling you to cut costs by 30%. You can be prepared. If you're not, you may lose the loyal employees you have to another company who has followed "The Benefits Performance Process."

Review by Heather Froeschl of BookReview.com.

As a teacher, nothing frustrates me more than knowing tools exist, even what the tools are, but not knowing how use them to increase students' learning. Daccord and Reich, both top-notch teachers, have done a superb job of solving this problem through clear but imaginative explanations and suggestions for recruiting the extraordinary possibilities presented by recent developments in technology, especially via the Internet.

Rather than being daunted by all these possibilities, picking just one or two great ideas from this book and folding them into one's teaching practice can have salutary effects on student learning and teacher enthusiasm for new ideas and approaches, and once those become habitual, one can return to dip again into this cornucopia of great ideas, exercises, and activities.

If you are a teacher or educator looking to develop ideas to utilize technology into your classroom this is a must have book. There are 10 chapters ranging from Enhancing Teaching and Learning with Multimedia to Class Management. Each chapter features one or two tools with specific directions (simply written) on how to use the tool as well as hundred's of web site's that are relevant to education. If you are someone who is looking to take technology into the classroom or want to learn more this is a well written, well researched book. I highly recommend it, you won't be disappointed!

The title of this book says it all. This book provides great background information and simple strategies for teaching WITH technology. As a professional development provider, I often see teachers struggle with how to use technology in their classrooms. Best Ideas for Teaching with Technology not only gives the background knowledge that teachers need, but it also shows teachers how to use technology as a tool to engage students in the classroom. Even better, the book is well-organized and an easy read - a great time saver for all busy teachers!

Good teaching has always been hard work; teaching writing, even harder. In Best Ideas for Teaching with Technology, Thomas Daccord and Justin Reich bring new tools to the job. Their classroom-tested ideas are presented with illustrations -- lots of illustrations -- and humor. They offer, for example, practical suggestions for getting more from your word processor. They also explore concept mapping applications and wikis as strategies for empowering young writers. This is a book for those who are new to teaching with technology as well as for veterans. Technology integration just got a little easier.

I had lots of excuses as to why I wasn't going to like this. (why list them all?)

After reading the introduction on *how* to do a meditation, and after learning that a meditation is NOT spiritual reading, I decided to give it a try.

Not only are the meditation guides among the best (if not THE best) I've ever come across, the book is laid out in very helpful ways. Gospel readings are numbered and a handy table helps you find the gospel reading of the day. Verse numbers are omitted (again, I thought I wouldn't like that, but I do). Ribbon bookmark is included (and hard to lose). Flaps open up to help with the outline for a meditation (concentrate, consider, converse, commit)

So- what more can I say? I've used this every week now for 4 weeks and I see myself continuing to use it every day- indefinitely.

The path to holiness is not a primrose path. It is a daily battle, a daily carrying of the cross. Prayer, especially in the form of intimate daily conversations with Christ is sadly one of the most neglected weapons available to us in this battle.

The Better Part equips Christians with the resources they need to, "set of into the deep" to enter into a personal, intimate conversation with Christ. Father Bartunek Begins his book with a short prayer primer, an exposition of the basics of Christian prayer that is worth the price of the book by itself. The rest of the book contains guided meditations on the Gospels with a liberal sprinkling of quotes from the Doctors and Fathers of the Church. The book contains the entire text off all four Gospels taken from the Jerusalem Bible (an excellent and very approachable translation). Each unit is meant as a stepping off point. While reading and reflecting on each unit would be of great benefit to anyone, using them as a starting point for your own conversation with Christ is the ultimate goal.

These meditations are not of the fluffy, vague, feel-good variety that has sadly become too common these days. Father Bartunek offers deep and meaningful meditations from four aspects of our relationship with Christ: Christ the Lord, Christ the Teacher, Christ the Friend, and Christ in my life. By using the principles of concentration, consideration, conversation and commitment, each meditation should lead one to an experience of Christ's presence and a firm, concrete commitment to better imitate him.

The price of the book is not cheap, but neither is the book itself. The paper and binding is of the highest quality, meant to stand up to daily handling for years. The font is easy on the eyes and a quality ribbon is sewn into the binding so you never have to lose your place.

Father Bartunek has rendered an invaluable service to Christians everywhere. If I could have only one book (other than the Bible and Catechism) this would be it without question.

Fr. John's gospel reflections are GREAT!!! This book goes through all four gospels and detailed meditations and reflections to really give you an encounter with Christ. Highly recommended to boost your prayer life!

Fr. John Bartunek once again steps to the plate and knocks it out of the park! This book "The Better Part" is a tremendous resource for individual or group study.

Have you ever been stumped by something you read in the Gospels? If so, this book will clear up the matter and breaks it down into several easy to comprehend sections and viewpoints.

Highly recommended !!

Written in Fr. Bartunek's practical, readable style, The Better Part brings the practice of mental prayer within reach in two ways: first, introducing the reader to a simple step-by-step methodology for meditating on the Gospel; and second, by providing a total of 303 meditations based on distinct Gospel passages.

In other words, Father Bartunek teaches us how to fish and then gives us the fishing rod and the bait, all in one book.

Each meditation is about three pages long and looks at a specific Gospel passage from four points of view: Christ the Lord, Christ the Teacher, Christ the Friend, and Christ in My Life. Each subsection has its own specific purpose:

* The "Christ the Lord" sections help the reader to see Christ as the Lord and Master, and as a model for our own attitudes and actions.
* The "Christ the Teacher" sections give solid Catholic doctrine to enlighten the mind with lessons drawn from the Gospel passage at hand.
* The "Christ the Friend" sections give a more intimate, affective perspective on Christ, looking at him not through the mind or will alone, but through the heart.
* The subsections entitled "Christ in My Life" take

While this book is purported to be a manual in how to manage young people, the advice can be applied to the management of all employees. If you are a manager, you must:

*) Not expect people to work extended overtime with little or no compensation.
*) Praise employees for work well done.
*) Not expect people to work at jobs that lack an inherent meaning.
*) Set an example by your actions and words, not just your words.
*) Allow people to have a life outside their job, not expect their job to be their life.

If you do these things, which should be part of the standard managerial playbook, then your employees will be more productive, happier and you will retain them. If you don't, you will become one of those managers who blame everything besides incompetent management style for the fundamental problems of their company.

This book is great reading for 'Baby Boomer' Managers and for those who belong to Generation X. Claire Raines describes the wants and needs of both generations; giving pratical advice to 'Boomer' managers on managing the 'X' generation. As an X generation reader, Raines' gives incite to why some'Baby Boomer'Managers are "All work, no play" and what frustrates them about Generation X employees today. Excellant source of information for both generations!

Beyond Generation X is an insightful look at how Baby Boomers and Gen Xers can peacefully coexist in the workplace. I recommend it especially for Boomers who have trouble understanding their Gen X workers (and vice-versa). Claire Raines (a Boomer herself) has some great ideas and presents them in an easy-to-follow manner. One thing to remember about this book is that it's not attempting to classify individuals. It's just helping us understand generations. It's also a quick read. I read it in an evening.

Whether we like it or not a great generation gap exists between the boomers and the gen xer's. This book helped me to understand what I, as a boomer, represented to the younger generation. These younger folks are not lazy, they just need a different motivational program. This book is a must read for those interested in surviving problems associated with the current labor shortage.

Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction is unique in every way. First, it is the rare book co-authored by a Caucasian male and an African American female. This bi-cultural authoring team provides a richly textured narrative captivating in every way.

Second, while many books outline African American history, and a number of books highlight African American religious history, this book narrates the history of African American personal ministry. Readers not only are inspired by amazing Black heroes of the faith, they are also equipped to provide biblical counseling, soul care, spiritual direction, and spiritual friendship to one another.

Kellemen and Edwards use a historic model of ministry (sustaining, healing, reconciling, and guiding) to map the contours of how African Americans provided healing and hope to one another. As the title suggests, this is not a book that stops at excruciating suffering. Rather, it shows readers how past African Americans empowered one another to move beyond external and internal suffering to eternal and supernatural victory.

Some may assume by the focus on African Americans that this book is only for one race. Nothing could be further from the truth. By embracing the legacy of past African American Christian ministry, all people of all races learn how to grow personally and how to help others to grow in grace.

The true power of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction comes in the narrative vignettes themselves. Reading this book is like reading a Christian version of "Roots"--compelling, exciting, thrilling, troubling, illuminating, deeply moving, and redemptive.

If there's only one book that you can read on spiritual formation and Christian nurture--read Kellemen and Edwards. If there's only one book that you can read on African American ministry--read Kellemen and Edwards.

Looking at the cover of Beyond the Suffering, one might assume the book is only for African Americans. Not so. While it certainly tells the poignant story of slavery in America, it captures the essence of humanity when it is rooted in a profound, life giving faith in Jesus. It is a story of suffering, hope, grace, and deliverance. It paints a picture of a community that understood that shared sorrow is endurable sorrow. The stories told by the slaves remind all of us that there are always two stories, the earthly story of pain and grief and God's bigger story of redemption and glory. Beyond the Suffering is an inspiring narrative that demonstrates in a powerful way that it is possible to move past unbearable pain into the land of joyful anticipation. Beyond the Suffering is full of wisdom for today's soul care givers from the professional counselor to the spiritual friend, pastor, and lay care giver.

Few books have touched my heart as powerfully as Beyond the Suffering. This is no ordinary story. It is the extraordinary account of the history and legacy African Americans. Using a biblical and historical modeling of soul care and spiritual direction, this book introduces many "heroes" of the faith. One thing is for sure, there is no sugar coating in this book! The personal accounts of slaves contained in this book will both challenge you with deep sorrow and encourage you with supernatural hope. But, I believe that is exactly the goal of Kellemen and Edwards. They understand that the history of African Americans is filled with terrible injustice and inequality. Yet, they demonstrate with great clarity that the history of African Americans is filled with much greater hope, healing, and forgiveness.

As a person ministering in a multicultural setting, I have been able to use the stories in this book to help people understand that the principles they contain go beyond any single culture or race. These stories are filled with biblical insights I am sure will produce great fruit for the entire body of Christ. Kellemen and Edwards do a phenomenal job in articulating the value of the African American legacy for every one of us. This book should be used in Sunday School classes and small groups all around the country. I have already shared some of the book with my youth group, which has created healthy discussion and reflection.

Finally, this book is written well. The authors navigate the issues with sensitivity, compassion, and humility. They realize that in many ways the personal accounts really speak for themselves. And after navigating through such turbulent waters (the "suffering"), Kellemen and Edwards find a way to leave the reader with a profound sense of hope (the "beyond" the suffering). And that combination makes this a powerful and transformative resource.

Beyond the Suffering proved to be a fascinating experience for me and not just another book on slavery. I was able to walk with and in a sense experience the pain and the numerous challenges that the African American slaves endured during the oppressive days of unjust suffering. The book is written on two levels, it is obviously well researched and thereby a scholarly and credible source of history, but secondly, it is "jus plain" good reading, if you will pardon this expression of former slaves. The book helps to debunk the myth that Christianity for the African American is a "white man's religion". The numerous quotes from former slaves inform the reader that the slaves "got it right". They rightly utilized Biblical principles in order to help them in their time of distress in spite of how the Bible was being misused by those who agreed with and promoted slavery. The book offers a firm foundation for the origins of many of the hymns and sayings in the African American community. The song "Lift Every Voice and Sing", as well as the many other songs referenced in this book, has taken on more in depth meanings for me. These songs were born out of real experiences and calls for the reader, whether African American or of a different ethnic group, to gain a deeper sense of the pain experienced and the empowering faith that the slaves exemplified.
The book reviews the tremendous suffering placed upon the African American slaves and provides a plausible answer to the question "how did the slaves endure this much adversity?" The answer to that question is embodied in the books explanation of sustaining, healing, reconciling and guiding, a process born out of suffering that can help anyone walk with another who is in pain. The sense of community genuinely practiced by the slaves enabled them to leave for us a lasting legacy of faith that could join the "wall of faith" giants as depicted in Hebrews, chapter 11 in the Bible. The slaves truly practiced what it means to be a church in the midst of hypocrisy and crisis. I see this book as a must read for the faith community and anyone serious about bridging the gaps across cultures. The bibliography alone is worth the price of the book. The life changing messages within its pages are priceless

The Student Bible Atlas is a great reference source for your personal Bible Study. Maps are clear, concise, colorful and easy to understand. I've owned it for several years and often refer to it when studying history and the Bible.

I have been looking for just this kind of atlas for my 5th and 6th grade Sunday School class. The main thing I like about it is that it uses the same map of Israel and shows it at the various periods. Most atlases and Sunday School curricula show various maps instead of one map that changes over time. I liked the comparison maps of the empires. The comments and illustrations with each map are also useful.

My daughter and I love this atlas! Very easy to use, even for a child..it is full of colorful maps and easy to read details. We use it for both school and personal bible study.

This is definitely a worthy purchase if you have a child and as well if you (admit it) still get mixed up a bit with Middle East geography, especially when it comes to what an area was called years ago and what its present-day name is. When you read a passage to your child, show him with this each time where that scripture was taking place at that time period (the atlas shows name changes and political boundaries in different time segments). You both will have a much better understanding of what was taking place where and when.

This is a "Must Have" Coloring book for Church Preschool Teacher's, Sunday school teachers or to jsut use with your own children! My favorite part about these pictures are the stories on the back. This allows children to not only hear that story from you but they can also have their parents read the story too. This can also be used as a witnessing tool to parents! This is a WONDERFUL coloring book!

If you're looking for a personal guide to help your own child, or sunday class, this is a great tool chronologically written in understandable language true to the word of God. Each page is interesting, and each story has accurate, yet concise detail. The perforated pages make for easy photocopying with permission granted for each. This has been a great addition to our Pre-school Sunday Class.

This coloring book is wonderful. The pages are reproducable and they cover a Bible verse, and have a short abbreviated story on the back of each picture to be colored. When I was a Sunday School teacher and didn't have time in class for the kids to do a craft, this was a great fill in. It is also good to give to kids to bring home and color, if it pertains to the actual lesson in your curriculum. It contains pictures from almost every applicable story in the Bible that can be presented to kids.

I really enjoy this book of coloring pages and Bible stories that I can reproduce for my children's church class. The coloring pages are simple, and the Bible story is easy to understand.

This is a good book to have in your library when working with the children. It gives you good ideas, very informative and shows you how to get started.

This book has great ideas and lots of neat object lessons. Very excited to start using them!!

I love this book. It has great object lessons. I use it for time fillers during Sunday School. It is a wonderful add on to your curriculum.

This book is fantastic! I teach a group of about40-50 kids, and they love the lessons that are in this book.I had spent a lot of time searching for a book that would hold the attention of a group that big, and this is the first one in 3 years that has worked this well the entire year!

This is a simple, no-frills book, but is great for reading aloud to pre-schoolers. The active dialogue between the frog and the various animals, is ideal for young children, with their typically short-attention spans. The book also introduces rather unusual animals to children, such as the possum and the emu. In short, a hilarious book, with an interesting twist at the end, and great value for money.

The book that I read was a fiction book. It is called The Big Wide Mouthed Frog. This book was by Ana Martin Larranaga. The main character is the crocodile and the frog.
When i read this book I found that the main event was about the frog and him going to different animals and saying who are you and what do you eat? Also when I was reading I found that when you read the end you will get scared. I promise.
Last but not least I would recommend this book to Alexandra because she likes frogs and she also likes to read funny stories.

This book is a book that will make the whole family laugh histerically! My husband is not a book reader and HE read the book outloud and we laughed and laughed. We read the book 10 times before we got to our destination and we laughed with tears streaming down our faces! The illustrations and how you read the book also make the book a hoot! I want more books like this one!

My son is 21 months and he also loved the easy rhymes and fun words in this book. It's good for many giggles. I read it out loud to him 100 times and we both enjoy it.

However, the binding on this particular paperback fell apart within two days. Our day care has a copy that is from a different publisher (perhaps a previous edition) and it hasn't fallen apart. I was very disappointed because a book for toddlers needs to have some strength. A board book would be excellent.

without a doubt - - - the most useful book i've ever seen. If you haven't bought it yet---order your copy now!

without a doubt - - - the most useful book i've ever seen. If you haven't bought it yet---order your copy now!

This is the book we have been waiting for. At long last, an easy to use, comprehensive guide that is as unbiased as it is informative. From internet newbies to experinced surfers, this book is terrific. I bought it as a gift, but ended up using it so much myself, that I bought a second copy. Be forewarned, one copy is not enough.

This is the best tool anyone could want this Christmas! It gives you the best online store locations to shop at! I don't even have to leave my house this year to buy a single gift.

The guide gives a great alphabetical listing of the good vendors listed on bizrate.com, along with their BizRating--so you know who you're buying from, and what type of reputation they have with other BizRate customers. Some entries even have comments straight from users' mouths. A great deal at a low price--something every avid online buyer should have.