Great!...Expectations!

I have learned that false expectations can lead to disappointments. And if you let those disappointments fester, you become embittered. And that leads to problems in any relationship. This is especially true in marriages. Since I have been in the marriage business two decades now, I feel I can speak from an expert standpoint when I say the following. Maybe I am not, but that stands to be debated. And I love a good debate.
I understand that we cannot depend on human beings to fulfill our emotional needs. That is foolish and will lead to disaster. So if you are looking for a man or woman as it maybe to complete you, you’re not going to find it. Like I heard on TV once “so without the other person you’re half a person?” Seems true enough and it WAS on TV after all….From a biblical standpoint of course we know that the only one that can bring true fulfillment is God. He is our maker and he knows what we need. He intended for us to be perfect, but because of sin, we are imperfect. But God still sees us for what we could be. Like a stone cutter sees great potential for an insignificant looking stone, that he turns into the most brilliant diamond once cut.
And to be more specific, if I expect my husband to adore me constantly and admire me all the time, I’ll be disappointed quickly; because that is just unrealistic. Living with someone gives you ample opportunity to see the other person from their worst side; including the morning breath, the bad hair day and when you simply lose it. But loving someone allows you to overlook the sock donuts and toilet seats in the upright position, to use some silly examples that seem to drive wives everywhere crazy. And as far as quirks, when you love someone, you should see those as lovable, not annoying. I believe in a life-long love. There are however certain expectations that are realistic and viable. This is by no means a complete listing, but I would like to think that these are traits that one could expect from a mate:
-fidelity
-no fear of retribution or retaliation (no tip-toeing around the house)
-freedom of speech and religion (both should be able to vocalize what they want and believe how they want without being punished-even when they say “yes, that dress makes your behind look big”)
-freedom from coercion (it’s not “My way or the highway”)
-freedom to come and go (no false imprisonment)
-acceptance (being able to be yourself)
-respect (no name calling, no criticism, helping each other out)
-companionship (sharing some of the same likes and dislikes, hobbies)
-emotional and physical enjoyment of one another
I think that living in a civilized manner, and going even further, in a godly manner helps this process. That is why God wants us to love Him first and foremost then love the next person like yourself. That really does sum it all up. Why did it take me so long to get here? Hmmmm.