Killer Cool Whip

You have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. Philippians 4:14

Many of us are “functioning” dysfunctionals—or at least it seems like we are functioning, for a little while anyway. At one lunch several of us in ministry were sharing the dysfunctions found on our particular family tree. One of us had a great grandmother who was agoraphobic. Grandma just didn’t like to leave her home—for any reason. When friends, neighbors, or relatives would come to visit, they would give Grandma a hug, and she would say, “Oh, and if you stop by the store, could you pick up some Cool Whip for me?”

The kindhearted person would then pick up some Cool Whip and drop it by Grandma’s. When Grandma died, the family went in to clean out her home. There in the garage were hundreds and hundreds of washed and neatly stacked Cool Whip containers! It seems Grandmother had nothing in her refrigerator but Cool Whip. She had been “living” on Cool Whip for years.

Hiding a fear, the way Grandma hid her agoraphobia, could be a deadly decision. To live longer, Grandma needed to ask for help. Even asking someone to do her grocery shopping would have shown the people closest to her that she was living in terror.

A caring friend or family member might have brought up the topic of Grandma’s fear, or someone might have researched some real help for her so she could once again go through the front door of her own home.

Luke 8:50 gives Christ’s invitation: “Don’t be afraid. Just trust me, and she will be all right.” If you’re afraid, tell someone!