Expectations vs. Reality

“Expectations are pre-meditated resentments.”

I don’t know who is responsible for those words, but I have lived by those words for quite some time.  It’s not that I don’t think we should have expectations, because we should, but in moderation.

But even expectations that are realistic can sometimes lead to resentment — (teenagers!)

I started my new job Monday.  The first part of the day, the part of the day before I went to work, was AWESOME!  Since I didn’t have to be there until 10, I sat and watched the Today Show.  I had two cups of coffee.  I took a long shower.  I blasted the radio as loud as I could as I got ready for work.  And I really had time to dive into my Bible Study.

It was everything I thought it would be and more.

But the rest of the day?

Didn’t go as expected.

I left work later than I had planned.  Of course I did.

Then I was later getting the kids, which in turn, meant that I got home later.

I learned a downfall of working so close to home.  When the gas light comes on and you only live a mile from your workplace, you have to go out of your way (and panic that you won’t make it to the gas station in time) to get gas.

And getting home later meant dinner on the stove later — especially since just that morning, I mentioned that I wished I had chosen a crock pot meal.

And then the phone rang.  It was someone who had been emailing me all day and was now calling.  In her defense, I had an answer that she needed, so I left my post cooking dinner, went to the basement to talk on the phone and when dinner was ready, they, as I told them to, started without me.

By the time I finished, I came up and the table, short of Thing 4, the slowest eater in the history of time, was empty.

The hubs came back in and sat with me and Things 1 and 2 started arguing over the television.  (Do you know how hard this is to do when you don’t have cable?) “Turn the TV off and find something else to do,” I calmly said.

While I was calm, Thing 2 was not.  ”Well, what am I supposed to do?” she asked.

So I gave her a list.

She gave me some lip.

I thought the hubs was going to come up out of his seat and strangle her right in front of my very eyes.  (Oh mom.  I again apologize for everything I’ve ever done.)

But I was calm.  ”I’m impressed, Hon.”

“It’s my Unglued Bible Study,” I said.  ”It’s working.”

While eating, Thing 3 needed his homework checked.  While checking his homework, the phone rang and it was a friend.  Knowing that I had 45 minutes in the car, I decided to call her back later.

After checking homework, finishing dinner, I went to gather the items I needed and my phone rang twice more.  ”You’re phone is ringing,” the hubs yelled.

“I know.  Everybody wants to know how my first day went.  I’ll have to call them back later!”  I wasn’t unglued… yet.  But I could feel myself heading in that direction.

I had to leave early to get gas and get to the bank and to the school for this mandatory cheer parent meeting.  In the car, I called my dear friend and told her about my day and how frazzled I was; how it wasn’t going the way that I had expected.

And then?

I pulled up to the gas tank with the wrong side of my car….

TWICE.

That’s when I came unglued.

It wasn’t when my phone was ringing off the hook and my family was yelling at me… or when I battled it out with my newly turned teenager.

Nope.

It was simply pulling up to the wrong side of the tank TWICE.

I guess I thought that this new job, having less hours, would afford me the opportunity to not rush around like a chicken with my head cut off and here I was, busier than I’ve ever been!

I got home from the meeting, a sore throat accompanying me, and the hubs again commented on how proud he was of me for not coming unglued.

“You weren’t at the gas station with me.”

And there it was.  I was still trapped in the moment that I failed, instead of in the moment that I triumphed.

Why do we do that?

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

That says that we can take those negative thoughts and turn them into positives.  Because I can assure you, God isn’t focused on the unglued moment at the gas station, but I bet He’s smiling at the fact that I didn’t come unglued with my daughter.

So here’s where I ask you…

Where is one are that you succeed at this week?  Let’s celebrate it! (And it’s not too late to join us with the Unglued Bible Study)

Until next time…