working my way to 100

I have recently noticed that I am nearing my 100th post. In honor of the 100, I'm going to be doing a series of posts about other milestones in my life (just so you know, milestone has quite a broad definition in my book:). I will be counting down (or is it up?) to number one-double-oh.

But first, let me share a little about my wonderful Christmas.

I was supposed to leave after a half day of work on Thursday and make the 5 hour trek up to my parent's house. Unfortunately it didn't look like the weather was going to cooperate. Unprecedented amounts of snow were predicted and I was feeling bummed about possibly getting stuck in my apartment for the holiday.

Fortunately for me, my coworkers decided that wasn't going to happen. They fairly ganged up on me on Wednesday and insisted I was leaving by noon that day, as bad weather was supposed to be starting between 1 and 6. My boss even offered to let me use a vacation day. (I declined, since I will be needing that day in February when my *sister* from Peru comes to visit.) However, she did give me permission, so I didn't even lose my Christmas holiday pay! What a nice boss. As the morning progressed, so did the snow. It was already beginning to look bad out by 10:30 and the verdict was in. They sent me packing and headed toward my family.

I arrived safe and sound at home early that evening. I have never had so much time off for Christmas before, since I took one vacation day for Monday. As a matter of fact, I wasn't even able to go home the last two years at the holiday because of work. It was so nice and relaxing. I didn't wear makeup almost the whole time I was there, I stayed up 'til ungodly hours of the night and woke up at even less spiritual hours in the morning, I wore sweats until afternoon, ate 'til my pants didn't fit, and I had a great time with my family.

I also got some great loot: another wii remote, some furry slippers, a super soft blanket, a wool hat, a pretty heart necklace from Baby Brother, and a lot of stocking stuffers. All in all, it was one of our best Christmases. I think the holiday should always fall on a weekend! Can that be arranged?

Well, I can't talk about Christmas without mentioning the real meaning of the season--the birth of Christ. As I drove, I was thinking of a whole post I could do about this subject. There's so much that fascinates me about the events surrounding the incarnation of Christ that I can't even express all of them. Like, why did God choose one of the most scandalous ways imaginable to bring his son into the world? Even now, unwed pregnancies are frowned upon, but in those days, people were executed for them. Obviously we were let in on the secret, but imagine the stigma Mary must have felt only to be the chosen of God, the one who would bear his son into the human world.

Really, I could do a series of posts on this subject alone. There's so much to think about, and so much to be thankful for. And it's not that my Christianity is a crutch for me. On the contrary, it's a wheelchair, a veritable gurney! I don't say this simply because there are a list of rules that I practice or a bit or rhetoric that I spew. Even I have willingly strayed from my faith. I have broken every commandment, whether in practice or in attitude, and done so of my own will. But at the same time, I have seen him, I have experienced the one of whom the Bible speaks. When I left him, he never let me go. Maybe at one time in my life my faith was rhetoric and rules, but now it is much more. I'm not perfect. I don't have even half of everything figured out, but I am learning.

I don't know how to explain this. If you haven't experienced what I talk about, it may seem so weird and foreign. I can only imagine. But I hope that, in some small way, you are jealous. It sounds bad, but I wish that everyone could have what I have. And notice that I don't say "feel what I feel." Now happy feelings come along for the ride, but they are not the gas that powers the engine. There are bad times, too, as I'm sure you know if you have read any of my posts!

Well, this post is way too long so tomorrow I will continue working my way to 100 posts. Hang in there with me and help me visit some milestones from this first quarter of a century know as... my life.