While Black Friday shopping recently, I couldn’t help but notice all the people with lists, searching feverishly for gifts to give at Christmas. Then I remembered that famous advertising slogan, “(Some gifts are) Priceless! For everything else, there’s MasterCard.” No matter how high your credit limit, there are some gifts you simply cannot buy. It is these priceless gifts that have the greatest value in our lives.

Forgiveness is such a gift. Unlike most other gifts, it costs the giver nothing, yet, it has priceless value for both the giver and the receiver. It is “a gift that cannot be bought, that satisfies a debt that cannot be paid.” A story from Matthew 18 in the New Testament of the Bible illustrates this well. A King, whose servant owed him an amount of money so large that it could not be repaid, forgave his debt. In essence, the King gave to the servant “a gift that could not be bought, to satisfy a debt he could not pay.”

When someone has hurt us, we often feel the person “owes us.” The problem is that nothing the person does or gives will cancel our emotional pain. It becomes a debt the person cannot pay. A modern-day incident illustrates this well. Rev. Julie Nicholson, an Episcopal Priest, resigned her role as spiritual leader of her parish after a terrorist bomb killed her young daughter. She said she could no longer lead people in words of forgiveness because she could not forgive her daughter’s killer. She concluded, ”At its purest, setting both victim and antagonist free, it (forgiveness) is truly a miraculous gift.”

My daughter and I view this miraculous gift as a pathway to peace. Peace for both the victim and the villain. We are developing a blog with that focus, www.RealForgiveness.com. Peace in the world was lost, one relationship at a time, beginning with Cain killing his brother Abel (Genesis 4). It will return to our world in the same manner, one relationship at a time. Please join us in our quest to restore our world to the peace we once enjoyed. Each time you forgive someone, or accept forgiveness, you move our world one relationship closer to realization of another miraculous gift, the gift of peace.

May these Holydays Be Peaceful for You, Those You Love, and The Other Ones Too.

 Shalom, Shalom.  Perfect Peace to you.

Dr. W. Steven Boom

Life Transitions Publications

mail@RealForgiveness.com

Thank you, Dr. Steve, for submitting this article.  Dr. Steven Boom is a current patient at Paint Creek Chiropractic Center.

About Dr. Boom: He is a Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and a Clinical Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists. He specializes in the integration of individual therapy with family systems theory. He also provides psychological testing, therapy for marriage and relationship issues, family issues, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, or any other psychological problems experienced in childhood and adulthood.  Dr. Boom  conducts workshops on couple communication, effective parenting, parenting “tough” adolescents, and other areas of  human development.

Dr. Boom also offers workshops and seminars tailored to meet specific organizational needs. He has been providing counseling services for more than 20 years. His offices are located in Imlay City, MI.

What we eat can be influenced by lifestyle, personal, religious and cultural preferences.

A good example may be a person who frequently orders pizza. The advertising media has proven that it’s easy to have pizza delivered while it’s still hot and tasty. Having pizza delivered can make a person’s life simpler so the decision to eat this way is a “lifestyle” preference.

Studies have shown the benefits of Omega-3 in our diets. Eating fish two-to-three times a week is an easy way to absorb Omega-3. However, some people abhor the taste and smell of fish. If our body does not consume enough Omega-3, an individual can become susceptible to depression, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, fatigue, dry and itchy skin, brittle hair and nails, have an inability to concentrate, and can experience joint pain. Even knowing all the benefits, not consuming fish is that individual’s “personal” preference.

Some religious faiths are fundamentally-based on the absence of certain foods in a diet. For example, the Jewish faith requests that its followers do not consume pork and shellfish. This is an example of eating according to “religious” preference.

In many cultures, certain foods are mainstays and can identify that specific society. Pasta with tomato-based sauce can identify the Italian culture just as homemade perogies can be a staple in Polish homes. Eating according to ethnicity is a “cultural” preference.

It is a known fact that we are what we eat. All “preferences” aside, there are fundamental dietary guidelines to reaching and maintaining good health:

• Eat smaller meals 3-5 times per day.
• Eat organic when possible.
• Eat nutrient dense foods such as whole foods, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables.
• Eat slowly, and wait 10-15 minutes before taking second helpings.
• Prepare healthy snacks that are easily available (cut carrots, apples, etc.)
• Eliminate processed food.
• Avoid buffets.
• Drink plenty of water, especially immediately prior to meals.

Want to learn more? Go to www.dmehealthconnection.com now!

Article submitted by:
Mary Ellen Iafrate
DME Health Connection
586-405-8242

Dr.DeRusha’s comments:

Thank you Mary Ellen for submitting this article.  Mary Ellen Iafrate is long time wellness patient of Paint Creek Chiropractic Center in Rochester Michigan. 

Along with nutritional counseling, DME Health Connection also offers:

• Lymphatic drainage
• Foot bath detoxing
• Electrodermal screening testing
• Touch for health