Complaining or Explaining.

Well it's only understandable. I find myself complaining too and one day when I was asked to help here and there at church my husband told me "Why do they ask you if you have a busy schedule already with all the kids?" He pointed out that they don't ask the pastor's wife to do the same and she has one less child. Then I read 1 Corinthians 3:8 and I think there is another one that is similar but we all have the same goal. I had to tell myself to stop complaining, but like with anything I find myself still doing it. I just think it's hard at times when people don't understand that you would rather have notice of planning things ahead of time. Maybe you should let them know and tell them that if they don't give you notice then it can't be done. It's just common sense. My sister tried to do that to me several times, take care of her two kids on my husband's day off. She would get mad when I would tell her no but one thing is asking a favor from me but when it comes to having my husband take his day off to babysit her kids so she can go out, no.

I am suspicious of the idea that one should not complain. It may be a virtue to be able to live life in an uncomplaining manner, but it is too often over emphasised. Sometimes one needs to have self-respect, even to be angry at unreasonable behaviour. I seem to recall many times when Jesus did not simply accept the world as it was, uncomplainingly. One might well be acting in a more Christian manner to deal with these issues, rather than putting up with them, as difficult as that might be.

hEY cHEVEE, i don't think that's complaining at all. I think they need to give u more consideration than they are. Seems like they think since u are not working u have nothing else to do. They would give me more notice or they might get turned down.

Not sure why all of this would stress you so much, but then i do not know your schedule. An hour seems like a reasonable amount of time to me, but then I have no schedule at all

Hi Chevee, Is there some promblem that they cannot go to their appointment themselves? why do YOU HAVE to take them? are you their dogs body? I wouln't do it if it was me. Tamara

To relieve yourself from stress you may need to set some boundaries with your family. Like, telling them that you don't mind helping them by taking them to appointments but you have to have at least a day's notice so you can arrange your schedule to accommodate. I would tell them if they don't give me the proper notice you just can't take them. It will relieve you of much stress!

That's a hard one Chevee but in this case, you almost HAVE to tell them because they are stressing you out and that's not fair to you. They should be more thoughtful about it and let you know WAY ahead of time so you won't be so rushed to get them there on time. After all, you are helping them, not the other way around so a little consideration on their part would be nice. Besides, if we don't teach them this, who will?

If you don't have a problem with doing the favors for your family, but just with the fact that they spring things on you at the last minute, regardless of what the Word says, I feel you owe it to yourself and them to explain that they need to give you a little bit more notice than that. It's common courtesy and as much as you may want to do what the Bible says, you have to consider the fact that by not having this discussion it could progress to the point where you get angry at them and then don't want to help them anymore. I think there are different contexts for every idea, and you are speaking of two different ones here.

i would prefer to be explaining rather than complaining