Joys & Trials Meme

So, I got tagged by Turtleheart @ http://www.intothedawn.com/blog/ with the Joys & Trials meme.

Here are the rules

1. You have to use your own belief system for the meme. No fair using someone else’s to make a joke or satire. Being humorous about your own religion is encouraged!
   
2. You have to have at least one joy and one trial. More are encouraged. And no, they don’t have to be equal in length, but please be honest.
   
3. You have to tag at least one other person. More are appreciated!
   
4. Please post these rules!

Joys

1. women are celebrated for their beautiful, strong energy & bodies.
2. freedom to accept or refuse beliefs without an all-or-nothing attitude
3. encouragement to actually see the beauty around you & to celebrate it
4. focus on the turning of the year from one season to the next
5. the yummy food accompanying the honoring of the different stops along the wheel of the year.
6. a diety that feels close & personal & always happy to stop & talk to me

Trials

1. lack of guidance when I'm needing a mentor
2. the lack of support from F&F (or the outright expressions of either discust or belief that it's "just a phase")
3. Everybody & their cousin feeling the need to assume arrogant, hysterical names for themselves a la Lady Sunshine Butterfly or Lord Midnight Raven
4. the assumption that because I believe in the divinity of nature & see the diety in all, that of COURSE I'm vegan. *shaking head* Pagans eat meat (and hunt) too!
5. Forgetting what day the next Sabbat falls on until THAT DAY, then hunting frantically for something special to cook that night's dinner in honor of the changing of the year.
6. Having our "holy days" fall mid week when I'm LEAST likely to want to do anything special in honor of the day & in recognition of that event.

Well, crud.... Whom to tag. I guess I'll tag my Mom and middle sis and Em.

Have a Blessed Day!