• Visit Our Blog
  • Free Shipping over $75 | no code needed
  • Get in Touch

East to West Studio

Wedding Invitation Suites + Paper Goods

  • Wedding Invitations
        • Custom Watercolor

        • Learn More ▸
        • Wedding Invitations

        • Wedding Invitations
        • Detail Cards
        • Response Cards
        • Wedding Stationary

        • Save the Dates
        • Thank You Cards
        • Wedding Day Stationary

        • Wedding Programs
        • Seating Charts
        • Menus
  • Greeting Cards
    • Greeting Card Sets
    • Mother’s Day
    • Birthday
    • Just Because
    • Sympathy
    • Thinking of You
    • Thank You
    • Congratulations
    • New Baby
    • Wedding
  • home
  • Paper Goods
        • Paper Goods

        • New Products
        • Card Display Sets
        • Recipe Book
        • Greeting Cards
        • Art Prints
        • Notepads
  • Our Story
  • Cart

Balancing Reality with Expectation

February 22, 2021

The key struggle? To do it with grace.

Honestly, as mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, and friends, we all have expectations. We expect our children to wake up at a certain time in the morning, we expect our husbands to come home at a certain time in the evening, we expect a certain holiday to go a certain way, we expect our mother’s advice to work out perfectly, we expect a meal to taste a certain way, a date night to go well, and the list goes on and on.

We even have expectations as daughters of God, although we may not fully realize it. Don’t we expect our prayers to be answered a certain way? If God loves us, He must have our future planned out exactly as we are expecting, right?

Expectations are not a bad thing, really. The problem comes when reality does not meet our expectations, and that’s when we must make a decision. Many times the decision we make is subconscious: do we handle the situation with grace? Does it change our demeanor for the worse, and make the rest of the day, weekend, holiday, date night go bad?

For me, this is a lesson I’m slowly learning. To handle the reality of an expectation with grace. I have little eyes watching and a family to love. I’ve heard so many times that a mother sets the tone of the home, and that’s honestly a big responsibility that the Lord has given us. It honestly helps to handle the reality with grace by making the subconscious thought, conscious. CHOOSING to let the expectation go and embrace the reality. CHOOSING to lower those expectations in the first place and letting GOD create the expectations. CHOOSING to handle reality with grace and choosing joy no matter the situation.

I’ve learned that the lower my expectations are, the less disappointed I can be. If I do not expect my husband home from work at a certain time, I am pleasantly surprised when he rolls in the door. If I do not expect my child to sleep in, to sleep through the night, to eat a certain food, I find myself giving more grace in each moment, and getting frustrated less.

The truth is, we really do not control much at all. The past year alone has taught us that. Expectations robs the Lord of the joy He gives us, and our trust in Him. Let’s let Him write our days, and plan our moments.

XOXO

Tami

Share

Facebook Google+ Twitter Pinterest Email

Comments Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to Blog

Categories

  • Brand & Design
  • East to West Studio
  • Events
  • Invitation Essentials
  • Journal
  • Motherhood
  • Recipes
  • Uncategorized
  • Wedding Invitations

Recent Posts

  • Recipes Round 2
  • Recipes Round 1
  • Balancing Reality with Expectation
  • 15 Tips for Beating the Winter Blues
  • Tami’s 2021 Word of the Year

About Us


Hey there! We're Larissa & Tami, the designers at East to West Studio. We exist to create beautiful, eye-catching design in a way that brings intentionality & simplicity back into our fast-paced world. Thanks for stopping by, we hope you love what you see! Feel free to drop us an email, we'd love to chat!

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Behind our Logo

 

Our brand icon is a cloud- a common symbol in the sky which spans the east and the west. We designed the cloud in such a way that represents us and incorporates both an E and a W (can you see it?)

Search

If up ahead looks like too much to carry, then don If up ahead looks like too much to carry, then don’t. 💛 God gives us grace for each day, and tells us not to worry over the future.
Designing tabs for our 2024 Planner - who is pumpe Designing tabs for our 2024 Planner - who is pumped?? 😍
We don’t always have the “why’s” in life, We don’t always have the “why’s” in life, but we DO have the comfort of the One who knows the why’s. 💛
One of those “can’t believe we get to do this One of those “can’t believe we get to do this every day” moments - we’ve had them often throughout the years. Doing what we love and loving what we do, in between being mothers (what we also love!), home-makers, and more. We will always feel so grateful to have this opportunity!
Which are you? 😉 Which are you? 😉
For the classy men in your life, our new Bow tie B For the classy men in your life, our new Bow tie Birthday card is a rare male touch around our site. 😆
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Available on our website or Etsy shop! 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
https://easttoweststudio.com/product/bowtie-birthday-card/
The best way to start your week. Happy Monday frie The best way to start your week. Happy Monday friends! May you leave the worry and the negative thoughts at the foot of the Cross. 🫶🏼
Our NEW Pretty in Pink notepad is available on our Our NEW Pretty in Pink notepad is available on our Etsy shop & website! This notepad is reminding us of Spring and goes so well with our Lemon Squeeze Grocery Lists. 🙌🏼

https://easttoweststudio.com/product/pretty-in-pink-floral-notepad/

Have a blessed weekend, friends!

Our Backbone

Sign Up For Emails

By signing up for our email list, you’ll receive weekly inspiration through our Mailbox Monday newsletter, notifications of new products and sales, and more.

Blog

  • The Journey of East to West.
  • Balancing Life and Design.

Policies

  • Shop Policies
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Copyright 2023 East to West Studio

Powered by Move Wordpress Website to New Host