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Keep Singing Michael
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 find out that the new baby is going to be a girl,
and day after day, night after night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's
tummy.
The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen, an active member of the
Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. Then the
labor pains come. Every five minutes, then every minute. But
complications arise during delivery. Hours of labor. Would a C-section be
required?
Finally, Michael's little sister is born. But she is in serious condition.
With siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushes the infant to the
neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville,
Tennessee.
The days inch by. The little girl gets worse. The pediatric specialist
tells the parents, "There is very little hope. Be prepared for the
worst."
Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot. They
have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby, now they plan
a funeral. Michael keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister,
"I want to sing to her," he says.
Week two in intensive care. It looks as if a funeral will come before the
week is over. Michael keeps nagging about singing to his sister, but kids
are never allowed in Intensive Care. But Karen makes up her mind. She
will take Michael whether they like it or not. If he doesn't see his
sister now, he may never see her alive.
She dresses him in an oversized scrub suit and marches him into ICU. He
looks like a walking laundry basket, but the head nurse recognizes him as
a child and bellows, "Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed
in ICU!"
The mother rises up strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady
glares steel-eyed into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm line. "He is
not leaving until he sings to his sister!" Karen tows Michael to his
sister's bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live.
And he begins to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael
sings: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when
skies are gray --- "
Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady.
Keep on singing, Michael. "You never know, dear, how much I love you,
Please don't take my sunshine away ---"
The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten's purr.
Keep on singing, Michael. "The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I
dreamed I held you in my arms..."
Michael's little sister relaxes as rest, healing rest, seems to sweep over
her. Tears conquer the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glows.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't, take my sunshine
away."
The girl is 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.
"The Lord your God is with you, He will take great delight in you, he will
quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing"
Zephaniah 3:17
Written by Mike Sublett
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