Many Sparrows

How far can the good life go before it turns bad? This is the moral issue Nadi, the young psychologist from Malta, is made to face when she visits her old friend in Zaragoza. What starts off as a relaxing holiday soon becomes a revelation. The charismatic Maltese ex-pat Luis, her host in Zaragoza, has stumbled upon a lifestyle replete with eccentricities and the imagination. He is living a hedonistic, aesthetic, liberal life with a group of like-minded Spaniards. A group of young people rebelling against life's boring routine. They want to enrich their lives with constant beauty, inspired by Romans, Greeks, nature, al-Andalus, theatre and everything else life has to offer. Nadi is instantly taken in. She adopts Luis' lifestyle. But at what cost? In a time when traditional values and modern principles are colliding more and more, this is a relevant examination of moral values in the 21st century. All in the backdrop of rich, charming and regal Zaragoza.

Ming-Li looked up and tried to imagine the sky silent, empty of birds. It was a terrible thought. Her country's leader had called sparrows the enemy of the farmers--they were eating too much grain, he said. He announced a great "Sparrow War" to banish them from China, but Ming-Li did not want to chase the birds away. As the people of her village gathered with firecrackers and gongs to scatter the sparrows, Ming-Li held her ears and watched in dismay. The birds were falling from the trees, frightened to death! Ming-Li knew she had to do something -- even if she couldn't stop the noise. Quietly, she vowed to save as many sparrows as she could, one by one...

Buntings and North American sparrows offer a great identification challenge. Many of the long distance migrants are notable wanderers, with a strong tendency to vagrancy, while others are rare and local. Some of the Asian buntings and tropical sparrows are still poorly known, and the skulking habits of some species add to the challenge. Most male buntings acquire a bright plumage, but the American sparrows acquire this exceptionally, rather than as the rule. Many sparrows and female buntings appear to be rather dull brown birds, but a closer look will reveal intricate and often quite beautiful plumage; with these birds, the field marks that will enable positive identification are to be found in minute feather detail. This book is the first comprehensive guide to all the Old World buntings and North American sparrows. It includes 39 plates in full colour depicting all the species and distinct races. In the systematic section each species account is divided into sections: the identification section summarises important field marks; the description section details plumage and bare part characteristics for all ages and sexes; geographical variation covers taxonomy, and other sections give detailed measurements, descriptions of moult and ageing, habits, voice, status and habitat, distribution and movements, and references. A range map is included for each species. This beautifully presented book will for many years to come help solve the identification problems posed by a delightful and sought-after family of birds.

A Guide to the Identification and Natural History of the Sparrows of the United States and Canada provides comprehensive and up-to-date information on all the features that make possible identification of all 62 species of sparrows that occur in North America. The text gives detailed descriptions of the summer, winter, and juvenile plumages of each species, as well as comparisons with similar species. The species accounts are illustrated with range maps and superb line drawings showing behavioral postures and, where useful, fine features of tail feather patterns. The 27 color plates splendidly illustrate the various plumages of each species with the emphasis on the distinctive appearance of birds of different sex, age, and geographic regions. This beautiful and authoritative book will be a must for the library of all keen birders living in and visiting North America. Species accounts include discussions of species': * Identification * Measurements * Voice * Habitat * Ecology * Nesting biology * Distribution * Taxonomy * Geographic variations * Historical and present status

Kearney, Cheyenne, Rawlins. Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco. At each train station, a few lucky orphans from the crowded streets of New York City receive the fulfillment of their dreams: a home and family. This "orphan train" is the vision of Charles Loring Brace, founder of the Children's Aid Society, who cannot bear to see innocent children abandoned in the overpopulated cities of the mid-nineteenth-century. Yet it is not just the orphans whose lives need mending -- follow the train along and watch God's hand restore love and laughter to the right family at the right time!

Denis Summers-Smith first took up the study of the House Sparrow in 1947, thinking that the difficulties of travel in post-war Britain would best suit the study of a species always close at hand. The humble House Sparrow, common everywhere, was surprisingly poorly researched and his work soon provided interesting insights into this successful and adaptable little bird. As new opportunities to travel opened up, his interest blossomed to take in the genus Passer as a whole. His travels would ultimately lead to his study of all but one group, found only in the deepest Turkestan, and to the publication of his authoritative monograph on sparrows in 1988. While that book presented his knowledge of sparrow biology, this volume tells the other, human, side of the tale. His wry descriptions of the tribulations and unexpected pleasures of a traveller on four continents, from the Himalayas and Thailand, to Africa and the Americas (with a good few islands in between) are interspersed with observations and speculations on the biology of sparrows in a wide variety of habitats. Everywhere local officials and birdwatchers warmed to the eccentric Scot in pursuit of the little birds that nobody notices but which so often make their homes beside us. The author's own photographs and delightful cartoons by Euan Dunn further paint the picture of this lifelong search.

This is the story of Tsip a little female sparrow . Tsip , is rejected as a fledgling ,after an accidental fall from the nest and is saved by the Bakers daughter .Granma sparrow takes Tsip into her nest , she grows up with the other little sparrows ,Pip ,Puff ,Hob ,Aloe and Pisum . Tsip plays with acorn Tops , Palm carts ,Fruit games and hops around schools along with Pip ,Puff and Hob .One day ,Tsip is forcibly taken back to her parents nest and decides to fly away .On her way back to Granmas nest ,Tsip gets lost and is saved by Gab who is from a different tribe of sparrows . Gab drops her back at Sparrow colony ,Tsip is heart broken and is comforted by Bead. Tsip finds a Wonder Seed that glows. Tsip ,the ordinary little sparrow forgets her losses and pain and cares for orphaned fledglings and elderly sparrows with the help of Wonder Seed . Tsip meets the God who cares for the Sparrows and is given a mission to blow the Trumpet and save the Sparrows . Tsip , Bead and Asher save the sparrows of Steeple Colony from Abaddon and his Alley cats .

Learn to balance the professional demands of your ministry with your personal needs No amount of research, study, or planning can prepare pastoral care givers for the stress placed on their personal lives by the demands of their ministries. But Grief, Loss, and Death: The Shadow Side of Ministry can help anyone involved in pastoral counseling close the gap between their professional and personal needs, encouraging them to use the stress, loss, and grief that accompanies pastoral care giving as opportunities to humanize their ministries and reaffirm their faith. This unique book offers comfort and solace to those in the chaplaincy who are torn between professional obligations and the limits and boundaries of the shadow side of their ministry—the human side. The shadow side of ministry shoots a bullet through the brain that does not kill or prevent thinking or feeling. But the bullet creates a hole, a long, hollow, empty wound that thinking and feeling must somehow bypass. The wounded minister does not recover the previous self, cannot remember what the old self thought or felt. Like a veteran of a secret war, there may be a new life after the shameful wound, but no public way to heal. But there is a public way of speaking about it and this may help relieve some of the shame and some of the self-blaming. —Author Halbert Weidner Grief, Loss, and Death: The Shadow Side of Ministry can help in your search for the answers to questions you may have already found yourself asking, including: Do I prefer co-workers or friends? How did I lose focus of my original goals? How did I become isolated? How can I share authority without giving up responsibility? How do I cope when family issues arise? The book also addresses issues of illness, death and suicide, funerals, the confrontation between joy and sorrow, and how life’s stages are often like the Stations of the Cross. Grief, Loss, and Death: The Shadow Side of Ministry is help against despair. Newcomers to the profession can use the book as a guide to the difficulties that lie ahead, and experienced pastoral care givers can employ it as a catalogue to be consulted when all hope seems lost.

Sparrows are often considered familiar to the point of invisibility, but the recent steep decline in numbers of both native British species is a reminder that these unassuming chatterboxes deserve a little more attention. Of all the true sparrow species found worldwide, only two occur in the British Isles. Globally, the story of the House Sparrow is one of dramatic expansion: from humble origins in the Middle East where they spread, along with agriculture, to become the most widely distributed bird on the planet. The smaller, more active Tree Sparrow has also spread extensively, following the domestication of rice rather than wheat, and both species have been heavily persecuted in recent years. In Spotlight Sparrows, Amy-Jane Beer examines the causes behind the decline of these familiar species, and explores their biology and life cycle, social behaviour, and the significant role that sparrows play in human culture, from Shakespeare and Edith Piaf to Captain Jack Sparrow.

This is a guide to true" finches and sparrows illustrating all the species, many races and most sex and age variations, with almost 950 portraits. The maps accompanying the illustrations show breeding and wintering ranges for all species. Although the guide is not primarily intended for cagebird enthusiasts, it will also be useful for those wishing to know more about the species encountered in captivity."

A visionary work that combines speculative fiction with deep philosophical inquiry, The Sparrow tells the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who leads a scientific mission entrusted with a profound task: to make first contact with intelligent extraterrestrial life. The mission begins in faith, hope, and beauty, but a series of small misunderstandings brings it to a catastrophic end. Praise for The Sparrow “A startling, engrossing, and moral work of fiction.”—The New York Times Book Review “Important novels leave deep cracks in our beliefs, our prejudices, and our blinders. The Sparrow is one of them.”—Entertainment Weekly “Powerful . . . The Sparrow tackles a difficult subject with grace and intelligence.”—San Francisco Chronicle “Provocative, challenging . . . recalls both Arthur C. Clarke and H. G. Wells, with a dash of Ray Bradbury for good measure.”—The Dallas Morning News “[Mary Doria] Russell shows herself to be a skillful storyteller who subtly and expertly builds suspense.”—USA Today

This captivating collection of 99 essays offers a well-researched but easy-to-read look at birds as familiar as the sparrow and as seldom-seen as the albatross, from dancing varieties (crane) to sacred ones (ibis) to those associated with practical jokes and assassinations (snipe). The book combines extensive field experience with reflections drawn from biology, literature, music, history, politics, and other areas.

Many struggle to live a victorious life as a result of their ignorance of the potency, which the Spoken Word carries. Challenges are made to be faced, but it is only revelation and incessant confession of God’s Word that is capable of making any man triumphant. The Spoken Word is 365 days devotional, exploring all areas of life, and revealing the power of God to heal, transform, enrich and bless. This devotional is released by God in this season to satisfy the hunger of men, heal the broken hearted, liberate the captives, and empower the weak. Who would ever believe that the wisest man – Solomon, was born out of the erroneous affair of David and Bathsheba? In this case, the author recounts, “From the shells of total shame, and from the marrows of the utmost disgrace, God can still birth fame” When you think all is over, and when you have given up to an ill fate; God will start something fabulously new in your life.

A verse by verse exposition of the entire New Testament, the New European Christadelphian Commentary series by Duncan Heaster.

The New European Commentary is based upon the New European Version of the Bible. It provides a verse by verse exposition of the entire New Testament. It is written by Duncan Heaster, a Christadelphian missionary, and is therefore from a Unitarian, non-Trinitarian perspective. This volume covers the gospel of Luke.

A young prince meets with his father's ghost, who alleges that his own brother, now married to his widow, murdered him. The prince devises a scheme to test the truth of the ghost's accusation, feigning wild madness while plotting a brutal revenge. But his apparent insanity soon begins to wreak havoc on innocent and guilty alike.

The Once-A-Day At the Table Family Devotional helps you discuss the principles and promises in the Bible as you enjoy a meal together. With 365 daily readings to help you start conversations with your family around the dinner table, it’s perfect for the family who wants to take time to center their lives on God’s Word. This devotional ebook suggests topics for conversation and then gives you a brief scripture passage and a devotion to read together. Each daily reading includes: Scripture text from the most popular modern-English Bible translation, the NIV A devotional reading for family discussion Questions to consider as together you discuss the day’s topic A closing prayer

For over three years, Shirley has been growing physically stronger and healthier with my help. Now you have the opportunity to grow spiritually stronger as you enjoy "His Eye is on the Sparrow," her first devotional. Nicholas Galuardi-Exercise Physiologist, Saratoga Health and Wellness Center. Saratoga Springs, NY. Shirley Andrews has brought forth the greatness of our God through the visualization of nature; through the lives and behaviors of some of Gods most colorful creatures, birds! Shirley brings together her words of wisdom and the power of her prayers as she shares with each new description. As I read the book, I gained a totally new insight into how our God, the Creator of all things, yearns for us to be close to Him. Through the Scripture and the photos we see clearly the loving beauty of Gods creation. I recommend this devotional for people who are looking for the gentleness, sweetness and loving kindness that comes to us through Shirleys ability to show us the greatness that comes from small things. I encourage each of you to take this devotional each day and see how God will reveal Himself to you and how we along with Shirley journey with her in her relationship with God. This book brings forth the greatness of God on each page! ENJOY! Rev. Patti Molik Elder, Upper New York Annual Conference United Methodist Church Shirley's wonderful compilation of prayer, Scripture, photography, and devotional reflections, contained in "His Eye Is On the Sparrow," provided me with a greater respect of the interdependence between humanity and creation and the way in which God's presence sustains and maintains the fragile balance between the two. This inspiring devotional highlights insightful lessons to each of us through the life of various birds God has gifted to the world. I know I will look at birds differently from now on. Rev. Penny Brink Elder, Upper New York Annual Conference United Methodist Church "Shirley turns our attention to the loving presence of God all around us and encourages us to step out in faith to receive the grace God is waiting to share with us." Rev. David Martin Elder, Upper New York Annual Conference Hope United Methodist Church, Troy, NY

Begin or end your day in a quiet moment with God--and experience his presence in every other moment as well. Each devotional volume contains 120 devotions with full-color art and attractive, contemporary design--great for gift giving. Each devotion includes a verse of Scripture using the GOD'S WORD® translation, a short devotional, and an ending prayer. Quiet Reflections of Hope reminds readers of God's care and provision, and encourages them to stay faithful in their walk with a God who is always faithful. Quiet Reflections of Peace assures readers of God's protection through the night, and the comfort of his love.

This book is a defense of God's promise of salvation and reveals the core of the issues of the false teachings of Arminianism and Calvinism. The Bible teaches that God offers to every person complete eternal life, and that Jesus died for every person.\

This volume is a response to the Pope’s Laudato Si’, giving an interdisciplinary overview of its impact on the environmental concerns of Catholics as well as other religious groups. Published in 2015, it is often seen as an "environmental" encyclical and in it the Pope urges us to face up to the crisis of climate change. He argues that all of us should prioritise taking better care of the Earth, our common home, while also attending to the plight of the poor. Written by an international and multidisciplinary team of leading scholars, the Pope’s invitation to all people to begin a new dialog about these matters is considered from a variety of perspectives. There is discussion of the implications for immigration, population control, eating animals, and property ownership. Additionally, indigenous religious perspectives, development and environmental protection, and the implementation of the ideas of the encyclical in the Church are explored. Each chapter deals with the scriptural, theological, and philosophical underpinnings of the encyclical, as well as other central concepts such as interconnectedness, the role of practice, and what Pope Francis calls the "technocratic paradigm". This book expertly illuminates the relationship between Laudato Si’ and environmental concerns. It will, therefore, be vital reading for anyone studying religion and the environment, environmental ethics, Catholic theology, and environmental thought.

Christmas can be a hectic and even heavy time for some- especially if you’ve experienced crisis or tragedy. Immanuel is always with us. His presence is predetermined, not conditional. He’s with us when it’s good and He’s with us when it’s not. Granted there are times when it’s more difficult to see or feel His nearness, but nonetheless He is here and He is near. “The Word became flesh and walked among us.” He still does. “I will never leave you or forsake you.” He is Immanuel God with us. This devotional contains a short reading for each day, counting down the days until Christmas.

LET US THEN FEARLESSLY AND CONFIDENTLY AMD BOLDLY DRAW NEAR TO THE THRONE OF GRACE( THE THRONE OF GODS UNMERITED FAVOR TO US SINNERS), THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN GOOD TIME FOR EVERY NEED. Approaching the throne of grace with faith is the key to obtain strength, wisdom, and the peace that God promises. Do you need faith to persevere, courage amd STRENGHT to face lifes daily struggles, Come to the Throne of Grace.

Glimpses of Canaan Land is a compilation of different topics that should be of great interest to Christians and non-Christians alike. With heartfelt passion, spiritual understanding and a well-grounded knowledge of Scripture, the author offers these writings to those who want to know more about the fundamentals. Composed in an easy to read style, yet with depth and unique biblical discernment, Glimpses of Canaan Land would be a marvelous devotional tool or compelling Bible study for individual or group study. Subject matter has a wide range. A few of the chapter topics are: Heavenly Scenes; The Approaching Voyage; Kadesh-Barnea; James the Just; The Land Called Moriah; Age of Laodicea; and the awe-inspiring Trilogy of Love. You will want to return often to Glimpses of Canaan Land for a new and refreshing infusion of biblical inspiration. Remember, as Christians, each of us should be on a personal quest to learn more about Gods Holy Word.

Innocent. Invader. Lover. Thief. Sparrows are everywhere and wear many guises. Able to live in the Arctic and the desert, from Beijing to San Francisco, the house sparrow is the most ubiquitous wild bird in the world. They are the subject of elegies by Catullus and John Skelton and listed as “pretty things” in Sei Shonagon’s Pillow Book—but they’re also urban vermin with shocking manners that were so reviled that Mao placed them on the list of Four Pests and ordered the Chinese people to kill them on sight. In Sparrow, award-winning science and natural history writer Kim Todd explores the bird's complex history, biology, and literary tradition. Todd describes the difference between Old World sparrows, like the house sparrow, which can nest in a garage or in an airport, and New World sparrows, which often stake their claim to remote islands or meadows in the high Sierra. In addition, she looks at the nineteenth-century Sparrow War in the United States—a battle over the sparrow’s introduction—which set the stage for decades of discussions of invasive species. She examines the ways in which sparrows have taught us about evolution and the shocking recent decline of house sparrows in cities globally—this disappearance of a bird that seemed hardwired for success remains an ornithological mystery. With lush illustrations, ranging from early woodcuts and illuminated manuscripts to contemporary wildlife photography, this is the first book-length exploration of the natural and cultural history of this beloved, reviled, and ubiquitous bird.

The bridal call of bachelor Wolfe Tucker from Alaska beckoned Leah Grant to answer from a small village in Northeastern Pennsylvania in the first book, Alaska Beckons: All Things Work Together. Upon her arrival to the Matanuska Valley and the city of Palmer, Leah and Thad begin to make discoveries about each other that challenge their budding love. While God is opening their hearts in faith, He is working all things together until Leahs best friend, Denise, comes to the rescue in this sequel that sets into motion a desperate journey into the Alaskan wilderness. Thad and Leahs wedding day and their future together is threatened. Gods sovereignty and grace meet in the most desolate of places.

Life in the Caspian Republic has taught Agent Nikolai South two rules. Trust No One. And work just hard enough not to make enemies. Here, in the last sanctuary for the dying embers of the human race in a world run by artificial intelligence, if you stray from the path—your life is forfeit. But when a Party propagandist is killed—and is discovered as a “machine”—he’s given a new mission: chaperone the widow, Lily, who has arrived to claim her husband’s remains. But when South sees that she, the first “machine” ever allowed into the country, bears an uncanny resemblance to his late wife, he’s thrown into a maelstrom of betrayal, murder, and conspiracy that may bring down the Republic for good. WHEN THE SPARROW FALLS illuminates authoritarianism, complicity, and identity in the digital age, in a page turning, darkly-funny, frightening and touching story that recalls Philip K. Dick, John le Carré and Kurt Vonnegut in equal measure. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

he way wild birds have been exploited over the centuries forms the focus of this remarkable new book by Michael Shrubb. It looks at the use of birds as food, for feathers and skins, for eggs, as cage birds, as specimens and for hunting, focusing on Britain, northern Europe and the North Atlantic. Never before has a book brought the huge amount of information on these topics in the academic literature together under one cover. Introductory chapters on what was taken, when, why and its impact are followed by a number of sections looking in detail at important bird groups. Along with discussions of broader themes of exploitation, the book is packed with amazing facts. For example, we learn • why Grey Herons were so important in medieval falconry • why the Black Death was good news for bustards • why Napoleon is to blame for the scarcity of Quail in Britain today • when tame plover stew was all the rage The book concludes with discussions of the cage bird and plumage trades, both now consigned to the annals of history, in Britain at any rate. As well as summarising and condensing the material into a readable and entertaining account, Shrubb goes back to the original sources. This has allowed him to shed new and surprising light on the biogeography of a number of British birds.

Begin and end your day in a quiet moment with God--and experience his presence in every other moment as well. This devotional volume contains 120 devotions for morning and 120 devotions for evening. Each devotion includes a verse of Scripture, a short devotional, and a closing prayer. Devotions for morning remind readers of God's care and provision and encourage them to stay faithful in their walk with a God who is always faithful. Devotions for evening assure readers of God's protection through the night and the comfort of his love.

A landmark collection of five periods of literature from the Land of the Rising Sun. The sweep of Japanese literature in all its great variety was made available to Western readers for the first time in this anthology. Every genre and style, from the celebrated No plays to the poetry and novels of the seventeenth century, find a place in this book. An introduction by Donald Keene places the selections in their proper historical context, allowing the readers to enjoy the book both as literature and as a guide to the cultural history of Japan. Selections include “Man’yoshu” or “Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves” from the ancient period; “Kokinshu” or “Collection of Ancient and Modern Poetry,” “The Tosa Diary” of Ki No Tsurayuki, “Yugao” from “Tales of Genji” of Murasaki Shikibu, and “The Pillow Book” of Sei Shonagon from the Heian Period; “The Tale of the Heike” from the Kamakura Period; Plan of the No Stage, “Birds of Sorrow” of Seami Motokiyo, and “Three Poets at Minase” from the Muromachi Period; and Sections from Basho, including “The Narrow Road of Oku,” “The Love Suicides at Sonezaki” by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, and Waka and haiku of the Tokugawa Period.

The Gospel of Matthew stands out as a favorite biblical text among patristic commentators, including Origen, Hilary of Poitiers, Jerome, Theodore of Heraclea, Cyril of Alexandria, John Chrysostom, Augustine, and more. In this ACCS volume, the rich abundance of patristic comment provides a feast of ancient interpretation of the First Gospel.

This package contains the complete four-volume set of the Gospel of Matthew from the MacArthur New Testament Commentary series: Matthew 1-7, Matthew 8-15, Matthew 16-23, and Matthew 24-28. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary series continues to be one of today's top-selling commentary series. These commmentaries from noted preacher and Bible scholar John MacArthur take readers on a journey through the Gospel of Matthew to discover what lies beneath the surface, focusing on meaning and context, and then reflecting on the explored passage or concept. He also focuses on the major doctrines and how they relate to the whole of Scripture.With probing questions that guide the reader toward application, as well as ample space for journaling, these commentaries are invaluable tools for Bible students of all ages.

This book helps us resolve some of the mysteries and contradictions that evolved during the Bible's pre-written legacy and that persist in the Great Book today. Most biblical scholars acknowledge that both the Old and New Testaments were orally transmitted for decades before appearing in written form. With great reverence for the Bible, Dundes offers a new and exciting way to understand its variant texts. He uses the analytical framework of folklore to unearth and contrast the multiple versions of nearly every major biblical event, including the creation of woman, the flood, the ten commandments (there were once as many as eleven or twelve), the names of the twelve tribes, the naming of the disciples, the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord's Prayer, and the words inscribed on the Cross, among many others.

These study guides, part of a set from noted Bible scholar John MacArthur, take readers on a journey through biblical texts to discover what lies beneath the surface, focusing on meaning and context, and then reflecting on the explored passage or concept. With probing questions that guide the reader toward application, as well as ample space for journaling, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series are invaluable tools for Bible students of all ages. This work on Matthew 8-15 is part of a New Testament commentary series which has as its objective explaining and applying Scripture, focusing on the major doctrines and how they relate to the whole of the Bible. This New Testament commentary series reflects the objective of explaining and applying Scripture, focusing on the major doctrines and how they relate to the whole of Scripture. This volume is a study of chapters 8-15 of the book of Matthew.

This book is a group of selected essays on divinatory subjects ranging from the ordinary to the extraordinary. For fun, entertainment and even just to refresh your perspective on life, this is a varied and interesting take on how to see miracles in ordinary things.

"How would you like to spend a year with Jesus? This devotional provides just that opportunity as it takes you step by step from His eternal past, through His earthly life and heavenly ministry, and into the eternal future that we will share with Him. George Knight’s Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus shows the true meaning of Christ’s life, not just as a story, but as inspiration for our everyday lives. Beholding Jesus in both His earthly and heavenly roles will change us into His likeness. What better thing can we do than to spend a year gazing upon our magnificent and gracious Lord?"

Embrace your love of birdwatching, every day of the year! By nature, bird lovers are naturalists and collectors, and you know how easy it is to devote hours upon hours of time—a lifetime, in fact—to your hobby. Birdwatcher’s Daily Companion is a fun, sophisticated way to be newly inspired, every day of the year. Inside is insight into everything from how to identify look alike species to planting a hummingbird garden, planning birding travel, and so much more. Throughout the birdwatcher’s year, you’ll find: Mondays / bird-finding tips and techniques Tuesdays / all about species identification Wednesdays / ideas for birding excursions and travel Thursdays / learn to find and attract birds to your backyard Fridays / birds in history and mythology Saturdays & Sundays / birding projects and activities

Garth L. Hallett provides the first thorough, systematic exposition and defense of proportionalism in Christian ethics. Prominent in both philosophical and theological ethics, proportionalism judges the morality of acts by their proportion of good and evil. Hallett proposes judging acts using a norm he calls Value Maximization. He defines this norm and offers a full response to such critics of all forms of proportionalism as Finnis and Grisez. The author assesses the norm's moral and theological validity in and of itself; in dialogue with the encyclical Veritatis Splendor; and in comparison with various rival viewpoints, stressing natural law, divine commands, respect for persons, inviolable goods, proportionate ends, irreducible rights, and agent-centered ethics. He appraises the norm's overall significance, showing its rootedness in Christian tradition, its inclusiveness and amplitude, and its relevance to those seeking a foundation for Christian ethical thought and moral activity.