Years ago, on one of my first river rafting trips, a school teacher in the group gave me this advice: Always try to keep your oars dry. At the time, that made no sense to me at all, thinking I needed to keep my oars in the river so I could control the raft. With more experience, I began to notice how hard I was working to avoid rocks. I would power from one side of the river to the other, sometimes over adjusting and needing to back up a little. I eventually remembered the advice from the teacher about keeping my oars dry. I learned to look downriver and move to a safer position earlier. This technique allowed me to relax more and use the current to help me get around rocks and obstacles. As I gained experience, I did not have to row nearly as hard to stay with the flow. And guess what? My oars were not in the river near as much, in effect, keeping them dry. Since that time, I have looked for those simple, seemingly innocent comments that can cause us to ponder about what we are doing and why. My hope for this story is to help others unlock the power and rewards of pondering, in order to understand the why's of our life experiences.

The Western Abenakis live in Odanak, Quebec, and the Missisquoi Bay region of Lake Champlain. These two volumes present their language as it was spoken in the last half of the twentieth century. Written for non-linguists, they are indispensable tools for anyone who wishes to learn the language or is interested in the Algonquian family of languages.

Reading a translation of any book is just not the same as reading it in its original language and is adequately stated in the phrase "lost in the translation." Whenever a text is translated from one language to another it loses some of its flavor and substance. The problem is compounded by the fact that a language is tied to the culture that uses that language. When the text is read by a culture different from the one it is written in, it loses its cultural context. A Biblical example of this can be found in the Hebrew word tsur which is translated as a rock - "He only is my rock and my salvation, he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved" (Psalm 62:2, KJV). What is a rock and how does it apply to God? To us it may mean solid, heavy or hard but the cultural meaning of the word tsur is a high place in the rocks where one runs to for refuge and defense, a place of salvation. "The Living Words" is an in-depth study into the Ancient Hebrew vocabulary and culture of the Bible replacing the flavor and substance that has been removed from us.

This labyrinth of emotion is a story of struggles and growth of two sisters. It begins in the 1890's of Northeast Georgia, as the South continues to heal , while the Irish immigrants continue to search for a better life, and struggle for equality. The small Morgan sisters must say goodbye to there Father, while their future hangs in the balance. The girls find themselves amid a melting pot of deception and betrayal, the love of one family and the feeling of distain from another, causing the girls to trust no one. As the years progress, events propel their lives into a chaos, they may or may not overcome. There is a secret that leads young Erin Morgan to explode with a fury, no one realized she possessed, but will regret unleashing. As a young woman, Erin will find that she has an independent passion about her beliefs and the confidence to make her life have more meaning, even if the world around her doesn't agree. She learns that forgiveness may be a remedy, but to forget is impossible. The yearning she feels for the homeland of her parents, leads her to a surprising fate. Through Tears to Dublin'; you take a journey with Erin Morgan you will not soon forget, and wish to continue through The Erin Chronicles.

In the mid 1800's Henry David Thoreau immersed himself in nautre to ponder life. After two years of seclusion he wrote, 'Walden Pond,' which was his reflection on simple living and self discovery. In this third and final Words & Images book, Suzette McIntyre and Kerrie Flanagan explore their own reflections of self discovery through inspirational poetry and stunning photography. This coffee table book will inspire you to ponder life a bit as you escape from everyday chaos and immerse yourself in peaceful tranquility. From a cool mountain lake to the streets of New York City, reflect and enjoy...Reflection also features the award winning art and poetry of the final Words & Images competition.