Dec 17, 2019
I am sitting down with my friend
Billie Jean Johnson on this very special Christmas, because any
Christmas we are lucky enough to have is special. Even more so for
some of us. Billie Jean is funny, sarcastic, and loud. She has a
smile that spreads all the way across her face. She’s the queen of
laughing at her own jokes, and she thinks she’s the funniest person
in the room. The first time we met, I attended a party she was
hosting and nothing was home cooked.
She's been married to the love
of her life over 25 years. She’s a parent and a grandparent. She’s
a faithful and loyal friend who’s never met a purse or a fake set
of nails that she doesn't love. She likes big Texas cars and long
hair extensions. She is more girly girl than I am on my best day.
Every time I've seen her she's been dressed to the nines. Yet,
she's never uppity and has zero pretense.
She is someone who believes in
community. She built a rehabilitation and recovery center for
people with addictions. She has fed inner-city families on
Thanksgiving with her giant walk-through Thanksgiving buffet. She
has literally brought hundreds of volunteers together to serve
dinner plates to shut-ins. Billie Jean isn’t on the show
today for the amazing things that she has done. She’s here
because of where she’s going.
Unless a miracle happens, this
will be the last Christmas that Billie Jean has with her husband
Jeramy and her girls, Haley and Jessica. It will be the last
Christmas she watches her grandson or son-in-law open gifts.
Stupid, horrible, spiteful cancer may very well win this one. I
asked Billy Jean a few weeks ago if I could sit with her in silence
and grief and ask her some questions. We often want to ask
questions of those with one foot on the other side, but are too
afraid too. It’s an honor to sit and talk with Billie Jean on this
episode.
Show Notes:
- [05:17] Billy Jeans go to meal
in Lufkin would be a turkey burger from Mom's Diner.
- [05:54] Friendship means family
and being there through the good and the ugly.
- [06:20] Every one Billie Jean
knows has risen to this season.
- [07:13] Billie Jean has many
roles and the actress who would play her might surprise
you.
- [07:43] Billie Jean has always
been an optimistic person. She believes that God is good and only
gives good gifts.
- [08:19] Her perspective on life
is taking care of what God has put her here to do and nothing else
matters.
- [09:40] Her family is her
greatest testimony, so she's letting them see how she can live and
die graciously.
- [12:12] Billie Jean had a great
health report from the doctor. Two weeks later they went back to
the doctor, and found out that the tumors had grown. There were so
many tumors that Billie Jean wouldn't make it through the surgery
to remove them.
- [13:17] When Billie Jean and
her husband heard this news, they were shocked.
- [14:22] Billie Jean doesn't
worry about the fear of dying, it's what she leaves behind that has
to wrestle with the pain.
- [15:17] Years ago, Billie Jean
dealt with losing her dad from addiction and her sister's
addiction. She then took care of her sister's children. The whole
experience was an emotional roller coaster for Billie
Jean.
- [16:28] She cried out to God,
and he took the pain away from her.
- [19:29] She can't complain
about cancer or ask God for anymore, because of all the wonderful
things he has done for her in this life.
- [20:26] Billie Jean trusts that
God's going to help take care of her family. She believes that
whatever the reason for all of this is that God's fulfilling his
purpose.
- [21:16] Moms want to prepare
their children as much as they can, but they don't really know how.
We don't know what we're doing, but what we do know is that we're
going to be gracious to each other.
- [22:45] Billie Jean's
relationship with God is very sweet.
- [23:40] When she is really
having a hard day, she listens to worship music and let's her
family know she loves them.
- [25:36] God's love is so rich.
If your emotions aren't benefiting, you try something else. Don't
stop talking to him, and he won't leave you stranded.
- [27:25] Billie Jean used to
think that she was introverted and didn't have friends, but the
love and support of her community has been
overwhelming.
- [27:55] Treat everybody well,
because you never know when you'll need to be treated
well.
- [29:55] For Billy Jean,
material things mean absolutely nothing. Her perspective is
shifting from worldly to heavenly. Spiritual awareness and
relationships are what matter to her now.
- [33:30] If everybody got to
choose how they live, they wouldn't be so overburdened with their
schedules. The big things are teaching your children how to deal
with everyday life.
- [34:28] Stop and let your
children see you for who you really are.
- [36:57] Everything that was
once important has shifted.
- [38:23] Billie Jean used to be
the girliest girl ever.
- [40:06] Billie Jean shares her
favorite uplifting songs and scriptures with us. John 14:27 and
Joshua 1:9
- [41:18] Her family is being
strong for her, and she knows that it's hard.
Thanks for joining us on
Ordinary People Ordinary Things. Be sure to
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