The Life and Death of an Expectation

So, I'm a blog slacker. BUT, this is all about to change! I am HOME for the summer and I pledge to take more time to muse on things and share with the world here in my newly titled blog, Treasures in Jars of Clay. Since I've been gone for far too long, heres' a quick update on me. Last week I went to Texas for a week to meet the rest of the boyfriend's family...it was fun, stressful, and an overall learning experience--one that I may never forget, for various reasons. This summer I will be working at the YMCA in Easley as a summer camp counselor with 8 & 9 year olds (YAY for songs, games, and spirit sticks--oh my). I've been car-less for the past few days and it's driving me nuts, but luckily I get Old Red back in a few hours. I think that's about it for now.
All the house keeping is finished, on to the musing.
Two days ago I had a devotion that is quickly changing the rest of my life. I've always had expectations and most of the time my expectations are met...but when they aren't, hell hath no fury like Hurricane Megan. My devotion was titled, "The Life and Death of an Expectation" It set the scene by explaining an expectation like an empty blob. As the expectations are met, and the blob is filled, it's not given a second thought--as if it is expected to be filled. We take our fulfillment for granted. The devotion went on to explain that when expectations are not met, "all we see left is the part left unfinished" and "we" begin to feel disappointment. Rather than getting motivated by this disappointment, "we get mad at ourselves, at God, and at people who were part of the plan in our expectations..." OUCH. This hit me pretty hard. Each day I have expectations and I get frustrated when things don't go the way I had planned. I was totally oblivious to the fact that my expectations affect my attitude daily. Reading further, these questions really got me:
Are you grateful for each fulfillment...truly grateful?
Do you place a lot of your hopes for the next event in what has already happened?
Do you still know that God is working His own plan out and that he doesn't need your help?
These are things that I know...but it doesn't hurt to be reminded every once in a while to be truly grateful as God fulfills his will for our lives. "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."--Proverbs 19:21 With that, I'm out like my frustration--God's in control!