learning about expectations

You would think I would've learned by now to not hold any expectations towards anybody. People and things will let me down, just as I will accidentally let people down, and probably frequently. In a fallen world, I'm not sure why we as humans tend to expect certain things to go certain ways. I'm reminded of the phrase that my youth pastor, Robby Olson, used to say before going to Mexico (and the phrase caught on and was used in many different situations thereafter) "Expect gravel, consider everything else a blessing." That phrase should be a mantra for life. It works for lots of situations, but especially well in Mexico- for example- "What are we having for dinner tonight?" Answer: "Expect gravel, consider everything else a blessing."

Maybe it's because we can fully count on the promises of God that we think some of that must transfer to our lives here on Earth. Maybe because sometimes things we ask for and that we receive are part of God's will for our lives and we think that we have some sort of control over friendships or other blessings. Everything we have comes from God! Who am I to think otherwise? And why is it that I get upset when I get something that I wasn't expecting? There are starving people across the world who would love the food that the money used to buy the gift that I so ungraciously received could've bought. Maybe that's just it. It is hard for me to accept a pricey gift when it's not even something that I had the slightest desire for. And I am disgusted at myself at the same time for being so ungrateful. Oh the turmoil! I honestly don't really know why whoever sent me this gift sent it to me, but sheesh, the least I could do is check around with who sent it to me and thank them for their extremely sweet gesture...and there's always the option of selling it on ebay (as terrible as that sounds...but it's something that is way too valuable to keep so as to not hurt the feelings of the person who bought it for me).

I was dumb for expecting my camera to get here. I was dumb for expecting a surprise. I expect way way way too much out of people, and it not only hurts me, but it really hurts them if they find out.
Why can't I outgrow this dumbness with expectations?!