Hot Water

Somewhere between learning to walk and graduating High school, we create a set of expectations. 

As 4 and 5 year olds, we are asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" - and we start expecting.

As 6-9 year olds,  we play with Barbies  and toys that help us pretend to be in our adult life. Barbie meets Ken and they have a sweet convertible. Wait?! They got a travel camper too?!  We get baby dolls and play house for hours. - and we start expecting.

As 10-14 year olds, we hear, "You can change the world!" -and we start expecting.

As 15-18 year olds, we start to make steps to achieve the adult life we have always expected. Making good grades, playing sports and doing community service are all part of the plan to get us to a future place. - and we start expecting. 

As college students, you move in, blink and then it's over.  Now we're ready for all our expectations to be fulfilled. 

We are ready for our expected career, expected spouse, expected house and expected kids. 

But what happens when it isn't what we expected? 

In exactly one week, I will turn 28. 

Naturally, birthdays get you thinking about your past and your future. 

While I was washing my hair this morning, I kept thinking, "When I was a kid, I thought I would be a mommy by 28."  This part of my life is not what I expected. It didn't look like this in my head.

Then I heard from the Wonderful Counselor, "think of the expectations The Lord has fulfilled. Your dream job, in which you change the world one child at a time. Your dream Husband, even though he doesn't have the red convertible, looks pretty nice in a 04 Toyota Avalon. Your precious home, that God provided at just the right time. At the least, be grateful for the hot water hitting your face right now. You have so much to be grateful for, even if it's just hot water." 

Sometimes we are cheated by our own expectations. Sometimes I think we expect them as a whole and aren't happy if they are independent of each other.  

Which made me think, my expectations are a luxury.  

There are so many people around the world who don't expect these dreams but they pray to survive. They pray to have clean water, they pray to have enough food and they pray to keep their children safe. 

And all the while- they are grateful. 

So to answer the question above, what happens when it isn't what we expected? 

Be grateful even if it's just for hot water.