We read Great Expectations when I was a senior in high school, and as an English teacher myself, I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that I didn’t remember much about the novel except for crazy Miss Havisham wandering through the crumbling halls of Satis House in her ragged wedding dress. A quick perusal of CliffsNotes reminded me that, like Miss Havisham who had been jilted on her wedding day, most of the other characters had great expectations that were dashed during the unfolding of the plot. 

This reminds me of my experiences during our first few furloughs. No, I didn’t wander around in a ragged wedding gown, but I did fly into Ohio full of great expectations, which never worked out quite the way I had imagined. My “dream furlough” was to fill every minute with family, friends, fun, meaningful conversations, and all of the other things I had missed during the past few years. What I didn’t stop to consider was the fact that, while my life in the States hit “pause” when I flew overseas, everyone else’s lives continued moving forward. With kids in school, sports schedules, and busy jobs, it was no longer possible for my friends to hang out at the Dairy Depot on Sunday evenings. I discovered that get-togethers needed to be planned a couple of months in advance now! And a few furloughs later when my sisters and I all had small children, many great expectations for family holiday gatherings fell flat when one of the kids came down with the flu and we had to cancel the whole event! 

There were times during those early visits when I struggled with resentfulness over the difference between my expectations and the reality of people’s busy lives. Eventually I learned to adjust my expectations to something more realistic, and also to appreciate living in the moment. Most importantly, I discovered that the best place to focus my expectations is on the Lord. Not only can I bring all of my joys and frustrations to Him and expect that He will answer me, I also have an open invitation to visit His house at any time. That is the greatest expectation of all!