Errand from the Lord

I was talking to my Friend the other day and we were talking about our kids. And how at times we lose our temper and yell and scream and treat them in ways that we would never treat other people. And it got me thinking. And this is what I thought:

Our children are not property, bought and paid for, for us to use and abuse as we wish. But precious spirits entrusted to us by the Lord. To rear and raise to teach them to love and serve the Lord. To love them the way the Lord would love them if He was here in our place. We as mothers have been given a stewardship over our children not dominion. We are to be the voice, spirit and embodiment of the Lord to our children here on earth. To love, serve and raise our children just as He did before us in the pre-existence when we were all there with Him together. This life is a time to prepare to meet God again and we need to use this time to prepare ourselves and our children, in righteousness, so that we can all be together with Him again someday. If we do not treat our children with the love and respect that they deserve, then why would they want to be with us forever?

I need to remember that sometimes. I find myself yelling or getting upset by things, that in the eternal perspective have no bearing. That in the long run, mean nothing. In the end who will care if the dishes weren't done that day, or if they dropped jam onto my newly mopped floor? Who will remember that they didn't pick up their toys off the floor in their room, or that they left toothpaste in the sink? No one will. But my children will remember if their mom played with them, hugged them and told them that they were loved. My Heavenly Father will remember if i read the scriptures to them and taught them His laws. And i will remember if i did what i could to the best of my ability, to raise them to love and serve the Lord.