I'm actually copying something from my sister-in-Christ Jennifer's blog:

On the first day of orientation, our medical director drew a diagram like so:

high expectations---------------------
disappointment
reality-----------------------------
JOY
lower expecations----------------

He said that high expectations in life- with others, with yourself, with circumstances- causes all kinds of problems, and often leaves us disappointed..sometimes feeling ripped off from our previous feelings of entitlements. So what we need to do it simply lower our expectations ...and when things go better than expected, just be glad in it. Because in the end, we always have more than we deserve. And this is reality.

Now Kerstin speaking: I definitely have found this to be true. I definitely have seen in me, my kids, and others around me the thoughts that things should be perfect--I mean, I deserve it good. Carl has definitely shown me in the Bible how I don't deserve anything good, but that God made it possible for me to have everything good in Him. But I shouldn't expect good or feel entitled to it apart from Him.