My Sunshine
Jacob is the sunshine of my life. It seems as though he
has always been, yet I know he is only two years old. Each
time I sing “You Are My Sunshine”, his little face lights up
and that beautiful smile is his gift to me, his Mamaw.
Let me try to describe Jacob for you. He seems to be
super-charged from deep inside himself. He wakes up happy,
extremely happy. The world is out there just waiting for him
to discover each and every thing in it. Jacob needs no toys
or games, although he has so many. He would rather find or
make his own. He chooses simple toys like: empty boxes and
tubes, dirt and rocks, ants and other bugs. His favorite
activities are running, jumping, skipping, crawling, and
wrestling with everyone, especially Momma and Daddy.
Add to this picture the facts that his eyes are blue, like
his Daddy, Chris; and his hair is orange. Being University
of Tennessee fans, the whole family was delighted that
Jacob’s hair was UT orange. I don’t mean red. It is a
bright, shocking, glowing, beautiful orange, especially in
the sunshine. That is partially why I call him my sunshine.
The other reason is that just watching him be himself,
brightens up my darkest, most painful day or night.
Tell me how a child can look like both his mother and his
father when they do not look alike. Jacob does. I can see
both Kim and Chris in his actions, facial expressions, and
attitude toward life.
Jacob can enter a picture-perfect room and leave it in a
topsy-turvy state. Just as he entered our lives like a
whirlwind and now nothing is the same forevermore. Such joy
and happiness he brings with him and bestows abundantly on
everyone he sees. He has never seen a stranger. Jacob
expects to be noticed and goes to all ends to make sure that
his mission is successful.
Do we reflect the family resemblance of our Father in our
walk and talk? Shouldn’t we as Christians have a positive
affect on this world in our actions and attitudes toward
this life and the life hereafter while we continue share the
gospel of Jesus Christ?
Then I stop to think about what God, our Father in Heaven,
has to say about us, His children, during our stay here on
Earth. Does He not observe everything we say and do, just as
a parent does with his beloved children? How many chances do
we give him to brag about us to our adversary, the devil?
How many times does God have to hang His head, because of
the shame we bring upon His holy name? Even then God still
loves us and claims us as His own. He will never leave or
forsake us. He is ever waiting for us to repent and return
to Him and our heavenly heritage.
There is something else that you need to know about Jacob.
We did not understand what a miracle his birth was until
months after he was born.
Our daughter, Kim, lived every second of her pregnancy for
all it was worth. She loved being pregnant. How lovely she
was filled with a life she could hardly wait to see! God was
watching over them both. Her delivery was like none I have
witnessed. She pushed twice and Jacob made his appearance as
the doctor hurried into his gown and gloves.
Everything went well, except that there was a lot of blood
loss for such a short delivery. The doctors discovered that
Kim had a lifelong health problem that caused her blood to
take too long to clot. In a prolonged birth, she would have
bled to death in minutes. If they had discovered this
condition before Jacob was born, she would have had to have
a hysterectomy and this sweet child would never have been.
The doctors all said that it was medically impossible that
both of them were fine. Without the grace of God we could
have lost them both.
Her doctors advised Kim not to have any more children, it
was just too dangerous. Jacob will be their only child. But
what a child he is! There is too much life in Jacob to
consider him an only child. This child, that his mother
refers to as “perfect,” is a whole family of children in one
child. His life is her present from God, and Jacob is a true
miracle. Thank you, Heavenly Father!
Just as Jacob lights up a room whenever he enters, we as
children of God should light up this dark and lonely world.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your
good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16
Shirley Anne Cox
scox2@chartertn.net
November 22, 2003