Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God,
Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
                                                     – Psalm 147:7-8 (NKJ)

Michael’s Baby Sister

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her three-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 would put his head on Mummy's tummy and sing to his sister.

The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen. In time, the labour 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 labour. 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 pediatric specialist regretfully 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 home for the new baby, but now they found themselves having to plan for a funeral.

Michael kept begging his parents to let him see his sister. “I need to see 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 seeing his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care.

Karen made up her mind, though. She would take Michael whether they liked it or not. If he didn't see his sister right then, he may never see her again. She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU. He looked like a walking laundry basket.

The head nurse recognised him as a child and bellowed, “Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed!”

The motherhood rose 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 sees his sister.”

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 three-year-old, Michael sang: “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey.”

Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. Her 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.” Karen urged.

“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 was beside herself, crying and laughing in amazement.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't, take my sunshine away.” Miraculously, the next day the little girl went home. Woman's Day Magazine called it The Miracle of a Brother's Song. The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen, the mother called it the miracle of God's love.

NEVER GIVE UP ON THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE. LOVE IS SO INCREDIBLY POWERFUL.

P.S. “To the world, you may just be somebody... but to somebody, you may be the world.”

(A friend emailed me and gave this story. I wish I knew who the author is. It is a beautiful story, and I would like to give credit where credit is due.)

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Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God. – William Carey,
father of the modern Christian missionary movement