He sits at the counter all ready for school and quietly says, "I'm worried about a tornado." He has said the very thing that is on my heart. But moms don't spill out their worry over children and I ask, "Who controls the weather."

"No one," he says.

Tears are in his eyes and his dad hugs him tight. Maybe that is what we all need today...to hug someone tight and let tears fall. We try to reassure him. We remind him of our own plan in case of a storm, and that he will not be alone. Trusting the One who is in control is a tough thing this morning, and part of me would like to keep this baby close today.

They head off to school and I keep reminding myself that worry is not a land I should camp out in for too long. The reality is that when the terrible happens...there is shelter from the storm...and we are never alone.

So how do you help your children move through the land of worry? These are my suggestions:

1. Limit the amount of media and news they watch. All the pictures and video can be quite disturbing for young ones.

2. Have a plan. Tell your children what the plan is if a storm comes.

3. Pray for those who are suffering.

4. Be proactive and do something. Sometimes it helps to give to those who have been hurt in a tragedy like this. Turning your child's thoughts from worrying about their own safety to helping those in need can move them through the worry.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!"--Psalm 91: 1-2



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