Comment: Hate to do this but this is 1 of 2.  Doing this for you John, not to fight with you but in case this can help a bit.  I know a bit about this because I helped my Mom die over 11 days at the shock trauma center (she was run over in a parking lot..and then the person not realizing what they had done..stopped and then backed over her again). 

First, you're not really rejecting my attitude of "if you are not totally serene"...because I never said that.  

What I said was that God wants His children to be totally serene, and He offers us many ways to approach this state of perfect union with Him, realizing that we are humans and will always be on an inclined plane toward that goal.

We will have moments of sorrow, short lapses of faith, and complaint.  And it's in those moments (but not just these moments) that God desires ever greater unity with us.

And He gives us ways to learn how to do this, and He's ready with grace in His hands to help us do this.

next entry is a suggestion.