Clapping Through My Tears for Barbara Johnson

I have always believed that the greatest humor is born out of great pain. Proverbs 17:22 says “A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.” And scientific studies have shown that humor (laughing) can actually cause the body to heal itself. When I was coping with severe child abuse I coped with it by laughing. So no wonder I have loved the writings of Barbara Johnson. Barbara is with Jesus now, and per her request, I’m clapping for her as I write.

Award-winning Christian author and Women of Faith Speaker Emeritus, Barbara Johnson died July 2nd, 2007 of cancer. Diagnosed with a brain tumor in early 2001, she valiantly fought Central Nervous System Lymphoma (CNS) for six years, as well as adult onset diabetes. During her final illness, she amazed the publishing world by adding four more titles to her long list of best sellers, including a poignantly humorous book about her cancer, Plant a Geranium in Your Cranium.

Known as the "Geranium Lady" after her book Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy, Barbara won the hearts of millions with her trademark wit and humor formed in the fire of adversity. One of Barbara's favorite humorists to emulate was Erma Bombeck. She was also known in many literary circles as the "Christian Erma Bombeck."

Barbara Johnson lost two sons, one in Vietnam and one at the hands of a drunk driver. Another was estranged for several years. Her husband, Bill, died three years ago, and she was diagnosed with Central Nervous System Lymphoma (CNS), a brain tumor and also diabetes. Known to have beaten the odds of adversity by using her experiences and faith to help others, she was awarded the prestigious Jordan Lifetime Achievement Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association in July 2005. Her book Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy sold over one million copies. Her proposed final book, Joyfully, Barb! was in the discussion stage with her publishers, Thomas Nelson, Inc. before she died.

[I personally recommend one of her latest books before her passing Leaking Laffs Between Pampers and Depends. It is great for your time alone. You'll laugh away most of your stress! I have been a collector of her books for over thirty years, and this one was one of her best!]

When asked how she stayed so positive, considering all the pain she’s been through, she said, “God has fine-tuned me. I lost my dad when I was twelve, then I lost one son and then the next son. So I've been through a lot of losses.

One son was lost in Vietnam and one killed by a drunk driver. I think because I have been through that and I have experienced a lot of pain that I have credentials. They have to listen to me. I'm not just being funny telling jokes. I have been in the pits. I have been where I wanted to die, where I wanted to kill myself and to kill anyone else (laughs). I've come through it, and God has infused me with a lot of joy. That's what I want to use, to get into my books as I share my books with people so they can use it and be a conduit of God's love too.”

I met her at a Writer’s Conference quite a few years ago, and I asked her what she would say to people going through great trials right now. I loved her answer!

“I would tell them that we are only pilgrims here; we're not settlers. We're just here for a short time. If they've lost a loved one and they're Christian, then I would say, ‘If we knew what God knows about Heaven, we would clap our hands when a Christian dies.’ When I die I want them to have a big clapping ceremony. I'll be with the Lord. It won't be sad! It will be a victorious time of clapping because I'll be out of here! I think that our final exit here will be our grandest entrance there.”

I asked “What about people who have lost loved ones to suicide? What would you say to them?”

“I like to tell them that their loved one went up to meet a just and loving God. We don't have all the answers.”

“Deuteronomy 29:29 says, ‘The secret things belong to the Lord.’ There are some things that are secret and we will never know. But I want to be known for love. I love homosexuals. I love everyone, absolutely everybody. I want to be a conduit of God's love to the people who are hurting, to the wounded, to the lonely, to the gay people, to people who are divorced and are outcast. I think that we can be that balm in Gilead to them.”

Spatula Ministries is a non-profit, tax exempt ministry for people, to pull them off the ceiling with the spatula of love when they have wayward kids. Barbara started Spatula Ministries during the time that her son was gone for eleven years. He disowned his parents, changed his name and said that he never wanted to see them again. During that time, Barbara was out speaking to parents, and she and her husband Bill started this ministry. She was going through that hope deferred situation like Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true at last there is life and joy." As she was going through that "hope deferred", she started that ministry for parents because she knew they needed a support system.

“Parents need a place!” she said. “Openness is to wholeness as secrets are to sickness. If they can only open up some of their pain and drain it, healing will occur.”

Spatula Ministries has groups all over the country for support systems for parents. Barbara Johnson founded the non-profit Spatula Ministries thirty years ago with her husband Bill Johnson. This year she saw the need to expand her ministry, and asked her eldest surviving son David Johnson to establish a foundation in her name to continue her work. Barbara said, "By forming the foundation, we can reach more people and provide the helping hand of counseling and support for families experiencing grief and loss."

David Johnson (known as Larry in many of her publications) said, "We intend our Website to provide updated information and referrals for those in crisis, seeking an understanding and compassionate heart from counselors to support groups in their local areas through our online message board. And of course, my mother's new humorous electronic newsletter, The Love Line will be offered free of charge, along with a Joy Room bookstore where her books, calendars, dolls, cards and various other memorabilia can be ordered."

If you need the healing power of laughter in your life, here is a list of Barbara Johnson’s books, all available online and in bookstores across the nation. It does not include her soon-to-be-released final book.

Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy!

The Best of Barbara Johnson

Laughter from Heaven

Where Does a Mother Go To Resign?

Humor Me, I’m Over The Hill

Boomerang Joy

He’s Gonna Toot and I’m Gonna Scoot!

Pack Up Your Gloomies in a Great Big Box, Then Sit on the Lid and Laugh!

God’s Most Precious Jewels are Crystalized Tears

Living Somewhere Between Estrogen and Death

Splashes of Joy in the Cesspools of Life

I’m So Glad You Told Me What I Didn’t Want To Hear

I Don’t Suffer From Insanity!

Leaking Laffs Between Pampers and Depends

Goodbye, my friend. I’m clapping through my tears as I write this.

(c) 2007 April Lorier Perspective