Grin and Bear It?

I am just venting again. I know the Bible says that “whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also". Matthew 5:39. I am a Seventh Day Adventist Christian; therefore, I attend church on Saturdays.

For the past 18 or 19 years, I have been teaching the Cradle Roll class (children, age 0-6) during our Sabbath School time (like Sunday School). This year I gave it up and let another member take the class. She is relatively new to our church and was a Cradle Roll Sabbath School Teacher in her former church. She has accepted many positions in the church; therefore, she keeps busy. I am in an adult class now and am the secretary. A while back, the current teacher and the pastor asked if anyone would be willing to help her out from time to time if the need came up, and I volunteered to do it. However, during the past couple of months, I have come to Sabbath School at least five times only to learn that I needed to teach her class because she was not there. I don’t mind doing it, but it unnerves me when I’m not told before hand; therefore, when I go to teach the class, I have no idea what the curriculum is and where her lessons are. Last week when I arrived, there was another member teaching her class. When I arrived today, again I was informed that the teacher was not there and again I had to take her class without any lessons, etc. When I asked the other member if she had been asked to teach the class last week, she said “no.” I shared with her my dilemma and she told me to just come prepared, meaning don’t complain, just be ready to do it. I then felt guilty for being upset about it.

I am also the Assistant Adventist Youth (AY) Leader and twice a month, the AY leader and I are responsible for doing the program. I contacted the youth leader earlier today and asked her if she had anything planned for today’s program and she told me no, so I told her I had something in place for us. She told me to type it out, bring it and get copies for her so she could follow along. I worked all afternoon on the program which I had planned a few weeks before and shared my ideas with her. I went to church and got there a half hour early so I could set up for my program. When I went up front to start the program with songs, the AY Leader came in and informed me that they had planned another program this afternoon and asked if we could do mine on another day. I became frustrated and told her okay; therefore, we took down the items I had for my program. I was upset for a while but then decided to let go because I would feel guilty about being frustrated about it and she had been understanding on a few times when I was unable to make it for the program; however, I always checked it out with her and asked if it was okay if I had to miss because I needed to watch my grandson and she would tell me not to worry about it. The communication in our church is not good at all. Sometimes I now wonder if I am supposed to be upset when things like this happens because I am always made to feel guilty by others when I so get frustrated.