"Pain is inevitable but misery is optional," says Barbara Johnson, and she should know. The survivor of four devastating experiences, Barbara, with the wit of Erma Bombeck, teaches how to find joy in the midst of it all. Her "credentials" open doors and provide insight to all those who suffer from the difficulties of life.

And this million copy edition is proof that the message holds true! Parents of prodigals and those who have suffered the greatest loss of all, the loss of a loved one, have all proclaimed with a smile, "This book has saved my life!"

Barbara s "pain" began when her husband was in a near-fatal accident. While he slowly recovered from severe, debilitating injures, they lost one son in Vietnam, and another son in an automobile accident. The final blow was losing their third son to the homosexual lifestyle. Through Barbara s final desperate plea to God of "Whatever, Lord…" a bubble of joy came to replace the elephant she felt sitting on her heart.

But life continues and so have the opportunities to practice what she preaches. Barbara was diagnosed with adult-onset diabetes and then most recently a cancerous brain tumor. Despite her difficulties, she continues to model that though pain is inevitable to us all, we can choose to see the flowers instead of the weeds.