Cousin Eddie Needs a Miracle

Do you have a Cousin Eddie in your family? You know, good ole Cousin Eddie, don’t you, from that Holiday Classic, “National Lampoon’s, Christmas Vacation”? It stars funny man, Chevy Chase as Clark W. Griswold and beautiful starlet, Beverly D’Angelo as his devoted wife, Ellen. It centers around Clark wanting that old-fashioned family Christmas to be held at his home and, predictably, all goes awry by Christmas Eve. However, in the end, it all works out and the entire family lives happily ever after. Well, they all do with the exception of poor Cousin Eddie and his family. Lovable but boorish Cousin Eddie and fam enter the scene about halfway through the movie. They appear to be THE most dysfunctional family of that era. They lost their home and got a “tenement on wheels” that Eddie thought was a REAL beauty (it was ugly as sin….) but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, isn’t it? If you listen to some of the jokes, the humor is actually painful experiences disguised as wit. Cousin Eddie and Catherine, his wife, not only lost their home, but their son was in rehab “for the Wild Turkey”, and they had no money for Christmas gifts for their children. They planned on leaving Clark’s home in a month but, according to their youngest daughter, I believe she said that “they never parked their house in the same place twice”. They really didn’t sound like they had any place to go. People don’t really live like this, right?? Yes, they actually do.

I have a real life “Cousin Eddie” (not his real name) staying with me right now. He is much older, not as boorish, but equally as lovable. He did not have a place to lay his head. He had the clothes on his back and no hope of any change in the near future. His house was his car in 20-degree temperatures, with no winter coat for a brief period of time. I spoke words of love to this distant relative of mine however, I knew that like Jesus, love needed to become an action. My door opened and my family is looking for resources. However, this blog is not about what I’m doing. It’s about what God’s doing. God will make a way for my cousin. I believe there will be change. There already has been.He has a roof over his head and food in his stomach. We can be the miracle that the “Cousin Eddies” of the world are praying for! Be that miracle! You can start by being the prayer warrior so desperately needed in these situations. Don’t let it stop there. Get involved. Feed the hungry, clothe the poor. Give the homeless a coat or a blanket. Anything would be appreciated.

The “Cousin Eddies” of the world will be eternally grateful.

Until we meet again!

Matthew 25:42-45