Entitlement

I bought a stove.  It wasn't one of the brands I had considered the other day that left me feeling so frustrated.  In fact, I don't remember even seeing this one when I originally began shopping.  But I feel good about this model and look forward to having it in my house.  My purchase was only $25 more than the model I felt I was settling for and I'm excited. 
Tonight I was reading a blog that I haven't read in several months and something she wrote triggered a thought I've pondered for some time.  She wrote that the 1970's phrase "have a nice day" was the start of people feeling they were entitled to a nice day and when they didn't have one they were disappointed and felt they had been "gypped."
My thoughts have travelled that same path.  Why do we feel that we are entitled to certain things?  Last spring after my husband passed away I was trying to make some plans that weren't going well and someone said to me, "This has to work out because you DESERVE it."   Since that time I've thought about those words and how they mesh with the Big Picture.  I don't think we deserve a nice vacation or a new car or anything else for that matter - no matter how good or strong or long-suffering we have been.  If we are able to take a trip or buy a car or do something fun, that's great.  But we don't deserve it. 
What do we deserve?  Well, we've been given this beautiful world to live in, we have bodies to house our spirits, and we have the opportunity to grow and progress and learn to be obedient so that we can return to the presence of our Heavenly Father.  He gave us this world and our bodies and made a way for us to return to Him.  That's it.
Do we deserve other things?  How about an education?  According to the government we are entitled to a basic education through 12th grade, but it is up to us to decide how thoroughly we acquire knowledge and use that time.  If we are lucky enough to obtain further education, that's a blessing but no one owes it to us.  If we find a job we are blessed, and if it turns out to be a job we love that's a bonus.  If we find someone to love, to marry, and if we are blessed with children, we are blessed again.  But we don't deserve a fancy house or an annual vacation to an exotic location because of anything we have done.  If those happen to become part of our lives, we are blessed or lucky, or we planned well and saved our money.
It's like going to church.  We don't deserve to be entertained by great speakers during church meetings or have interesting lessons simply because we walk through the chapel doors.   We are not entitled to those things nor should we expect them.  If while we are at church we should happen to hear a great talk or a thought-provoking lesson, or if someone is kind to us, or if we are spiritually uplifted, those are bonuses.  Our responsibility is to be faithful to the covenants we have made and support those who are giving talks and teaching lesssons.  Nothing more.  Anything good beyond that is simply a bonus or an additional blessing.
We aren't entitled to special privileges nor do we deserve to be entertained simply because we are inhaling and exhaling every day of our lives.
Sorry.  I didn't realize how strongly I felt about this.