Both of our girls were a little nervous tonight about the storm going through our area. The news was mentioning tornadoes and dangerous hail/winds. A was asking over and over if we would go to our safe place and she wanted to be sure that we would take care of her. S was asking over and over if the "stormado" would break our windows. I absolutely LOVE two-year-old language.
Four-year-old language is actually pretty cute, too. We have this great Alan Jackson hymns cd in the car. The girls have two favorite songs on it: Washed by the Blood of the Lamb and I'll Fly Away. A was singing along tonight...
"Are you washed by the bwood of the Wamb? Are your garments spotwess? Are they white as snow. Are you washed by the bwood of the Wamb?
I'll fwy away oh gwory, I'll fwy away. When I die hawewujah by and by, I'll fwy away!"
I just love to hear their little voices singing the hymns and see their little heads bobbing around in the back seat! A waves her hands around while she sings and it looks like she's directing an imaginary choir!
Tonight A was too afraid to sleep, so we went downstairs and sat at a window to watch the storm. She said, "I just can't fweep. I'm too afraid. I'm thinking about Jesus and I'm not afraid of Jesus. I'm just afraid of the storm. I'm afraid it's going to break our house." Then she said, "Why does God send tornadoes?"
Uh...I wasn't prepared to answer that one! I told her I didn't know if God does send the tornadoes. We went upstairs to ask Daddy, but I'm not sure he was all that prepared to answer it either! Basically, he said that he wasn't sure if God sends tornadoes, but he does know that God is in control and plans good (not necessarily circumstantial good, but spiritual good) for us...
I would love to hear how you would have answered the question!
6 years ago
2 comments:
Wow--this is so hard. My little girl is 4 and she is a bit afraid of storms too... she comes bolting from her room into our bed..once she is in our arms she is back to sleep. And it is interesting that as soon as the storm is over she wakes and wants to return to her own bed.
I don't have a perfect answer for this either. I have discussed with Julya that God is in control of all things including the weather--and storms. And that thunder and the light show :) demonstrates his power. And it reminds us of this...and it reminds us of how we depend on Him to keep us safe.... but of course, the questions could come about storms killing people and destroying things like homes.... We haven't had these questions yet...but I don't think my kids have ever seen the News or anything so maybe that is why???
We do get TONS of questions about dying and heaven..... and those are always fun to talk about. Julya was obsessed with this topic for awhile...and it resurfaces quite often still.....especially about when is she going to die...and why do kids die sometimes....
We are forever praying for wisdom!
thanks jmbmommy! i always love to gain insight in parenting from other parents who are teaching their kiddos the ways of God.
isn't it hard to teach the kids to trust God when He is in control of the storms that kill many of His children? i guess we teach that we trust God to know exactly what we need...whether it is a healthy body, broken body, sick body, broken house, etc...we just trust. s is always saying, "God will keep us safe, right?" i always feel the need to tell her that He does not promise to keep our bodies safe, but he does promise to be with us always and live in us through all of the trials...i wonder if ages 2 and 4 way too young to answer these questions so honestly? what do you think?
a is also very interested in death and heaven. i was talking with a neighbor tonight about how it's so amazing to see the sweet faith and love of a child in how they look forward to meeting their Jesus face to face. it's such a beautiful faith and amazing to watch build as the Father speaks to them and teaches them.
i guess as we teach our little ones to trust Him in the "light shows" (i love that), we can also trust Him to faithfully speak through us and we lead and teach our children. He is in us as we talk with them, just as He is in us through the storm...
thanks for sharing. i ALWAYS love your comments!
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