You Are My Sunshine

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that

another baby was on the way, she did what she

could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael,

prepare for a new sibling. They found out that

the new baby was going to be a girl, and day after

day, night after night, Michael sang to his

sister in Mommy's tummy. He was building a bond

of love with his little sister before he even met her.

The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen, an

active member of the Panther Creek United

Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. In

time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every

five minutes, every three, every minute. But

serious complications arose during delivery and

Karen found herself in hours of labor. Would a

C-section be required?

Finally, after a long struggle, Michael's little

sister was born. But she was in very serious condition. With a

siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to

the

neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville,

Tennessee.

The days inched by. The little girl got worse.

The pediatrician had to tell the parents there is

very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.

Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial

plot. They had fixed up a special room in their house for their

new baby but now they found themselves having to plan for a

funeral. Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let him

see his sister. I want to sing to her, he kept saying.

Week two in intensive care looked as if a funeral

would come before the week was over. Michael

kept nagging about singing to his sister, but

kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. Karen

decided to take Michael whether they liked it or

not. If he didn't see his sister right then, he

may never see her alive.

She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and

marched him into ICU. He looked like a walking laundry basket.

The

head nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed "Get that kid

out of here now. No children are allowed."

The mother rose up strong in Karen, and the

usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed

right into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm

line. "He is not leaving until he sings to his

sister" she stated.Then Karen towed Michael to

his sister's bedside. He gazed at the tiny infant

losing the battle to live. After a moment, he began to sing.

In the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year-old,

Michael sang: "You are my sunshine, my only

sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray."

Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. The pulse rate

began to calm down and become steady.

"Keep on singing, Michael," encouraged Karen with

tears in her eyes. "You never know, dear, how

much I love you, please don't take my sunshine

away." As Michael sang to his sister, the baby's ragged,

strained

breathing became as smooth as a kitten's purr.

"Keep on singing, sweetheart." "The other night,

dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in

my arms". Michael's little sister began to relax

as rest, healing rest, seemed to sweep over her.

Keep on singing, Michael."

Tears had now conquered the face of the bossy

head nurse. Karen glowed. "You are my sunshine,

my only sunshine. Please don't take my sunshine away..."

The next, day...the very next day...the little

girl was well enough to go home.

Woman's Day Magazine called it The Miracle of a Brother's Song.

The medical staff just called it a miracle.

Karen called it a miracle of God's love.

NEVER GIVE UP ON THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE.

LOVE IS SO INCREDIBLY POWERFUL.

Life is good. Have a Wonderful Day!