The 'BARKING OWL' always has something to say, and like the feathered version, can be either WISE...............or ANNOYING!







Monday, May 23, 2011

False Expectations vs the Promises of God

My take on the GBE 2: Blog On weekly challenge:  The theme is EXPECTATIONS

The first significant application of the word "expectations" came to me coupled with the adjective "false", and it was related to marital issues.  As in: Many conflicts in marriage are caused by FALSE EXPECTATIONS.  The idea was straightforward and made a lot of sense.  When two young people get married they come together all smiles and delight because they both have been steeped in storybook dreams and Hollywood visions.  "Of course he'll bring me breakfast in bed twice a week" she says dreamily.  "Of course she will skip breakfast every morning, and stay in bed with me" he dreams.

But our expectations are typically built out of blocks which don't fit together even as well as Legos do.  They come from different kits, all of different sizes and colors, and were never meant to go together.  To build a proper expectation, one can only use material provided by the master designer.  True, reliable expectations can not be based on wishes and fantasies given my mere men, but must only be based on the solid promises we find in God's Word.

I expect you will be awestruck by the wisdom and eloquence of this posting, and will be expecting checks, nay, cash, to be filling my mailbox soon!  Right?

21 comments:

  1. Ha..good write. I enjoyed it, but then again, u expected me too, so there.. :) Peace

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  2. If the Lego blocks don't fit, do what I used to do.... bash 'em with my Dad's hammer until they do ;) Nice post :)

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  3. I expect there will be a false expectation on a cash filled mailbox! However, there is a lot of truth in your post!

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  4. I enjoyed your post. I had to laugh at the dreamy part...is that why I didn't get breakfast in bed last week or the week before? LOL

    Cheers!

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  5. Yes, and the most that we can do is tune into the will of God that is within our own hearts...

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  6. :OD If I tell you that the check is in the mail, what will you expect? ;O)

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  7. False expectations have done in many marriages because they typically lead to lack of communication. Great blog!

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  8. Lovely post and so true!!

    Kathy
    http://www.thetruckerswife.com/

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  9. Will you accept monopoly money instead?

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  10. I think marriage is the place where most expectations fail – that and expectations parents have for their children who never realize until it's too late that the spirits of those children have entirely different agendas from their parents.

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  11. Yep, so true. False expectations have ended many relationships. And my check's in the mail... Hearts in Fur Coats

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  12. Me too. Great post.

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  13. Your post packed a punch! I think God wants us to be true to ourselves, and when we are, we make much better decisions. Thanks!

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  14. Thanks to all for the kind words! Of course, I expected nothing less!

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  15. that or Viagra...one must NOT have low blood pressure to continue on with this form of Rx

    : )

    great write AWESOME web page design...really enjoyed it

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  16. "...they come together all smiles and delight because they both have been steeped in storybook dreams and Hollywood visions."

    Perfectly stated, Mr. Miller. I think Hollywood, and other mediums of pop culture, set up a false idea of what love and marriage are all about, which causes much of the frustrations and divorces we see today.

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  17. Really enjoy the he thought / she thought example. Haha!

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  18. Of course if we go to Vegas as a young couple we will somehow become wildly successful and rich! Wait, is that another young couple in this same rundown apartment building? And another? And another? R.I.P. to my first marriage. ;-) Then people wonder why I'm like meh to visiting Vegas. lol!

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  19. Been married 47 years and still find myself having to work through false expectations. But Hubby and I are both pretty strong personalities--others might not require such a long adjustment period. : - ) One thing many couples don't understand is that you aren't married to the same person tomorrow you were married to today, because every experience changes us. Life is a constant dance of ever-mutating relationships. You have to want your marriage to be successful, and want it badly, to make it so. But we're making progress, and I'm told the first 50 years are the hardest.

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  20. I had planned to write my GBE2 post on Expectations of Marriage as well. (read my comment on Mike's J post and you will see why) I think that I am going to have to jump in next week. Life has been crazy and I want to finish the Z2AinMay, so I'll leave the marital expectations to you Mike...see you next week in GBE2!

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