> A Brothers Song

>

>

>        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 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 rest, a 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!

>

>        "The evidence of God's presence far outweighs the

>        proof of His absence."

>

>

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