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