Peace that surpasses understanding

It was over a month ago, on a Thursday. We'd worked a long day already and it was unseasonably warm for April. Unused to heat and the physical exertion required to mow, trim, and edge all of the lawns on our schedule--and probably dehydrated--I had developed a migraine headache. 

I'd felt the first twinge of awareness that not all was right with my brain a few yards back. After I finished blowing the clippings at customer's house and hung the backpack blower on the wall of our enclosed lawn trailer, I went to the cab of the work truck and checked the console. Darn it. I must have used my last pill last fall and forgot to restock my emergency stash.

With migraine headaches, time is crucial. The sooner you can get the medication into your system, the better the chances that it will work quickly and effectively. The longer you delay, the greater the chances that the headache will develop into a multiple-day ordeal requiring several doses.

We were working in our neighborhood, and to get to the final three customers on our route we would pass within a block of our house. I told my boss husband I needed to stop at our house and take my medication first.

What he said surprised me.

"Karen, why don't you just be done for the day. Don and I will finish it."

Relief flooded me. A cold front had whooshed in minutes ago, dropping the temperature nearly 30 degrees, and leaving me shivering in my tank top and shorts. The storm in the forecast couldn't be far behind, but suddenly I had a reprieve.

Once inside my house I quickly found my headache pills, took one with a big glass of water, and headed to our hot tub. I eased my body into the blissfully warm water and watched the blossoming trees swaying in the wind. The rain came, making a musical drumming on the cabana roof.

And in that moment, I had a peace that surpasses understanding.

Yes, I know what you're thinking. The good feeling may have had a little to do with the prescription drug I just took. But every thought I had was fueled with an intense rush of gratitude.

I still had a headache, but I was so grateful that I had a prescription that I knew would take care of it soon. I was grateful that I had health insurance to help pay for it. I was grateful that I still had plenty and wouldn't need to reorder during the coronavirus shutdown.

Working our lawn service business can be incredibly hard some days, but I was so grateful that Kansas had deemed it essential and we could continue without a hiccup. I was grateful that we only lost a couple of customers and had gained half a dozen.

I was grateful we had a hot tub, and grateful for the cabana roof to listen to the rain. I was also grateful for the rain, because it meant that we might have a day off tomorrow, or at least a later start and could plan on sleeping in.

Since our business in Kansas is seasonal, we have money coming in during the summer and use it up during the winter. If we didn't save enough, we might have to put stuff on our credit card before we can start earning again in spring. We were at the end of a full April, and I was so grateful that I could begin invoicing our customers and getting money to start balancing our accounts. I was grateful that we have been able to support our family with our business since 2003. 

Working with my husband as my boss is often challenging, but when he unexpectedly let me off for the rest of the day, he fostered a lot of goodwill in my heart. I was so grateful. I was also grateful for our faithful friend Don who runs the weed eater on Thursdays when we do our biggest residential lawns, letting me mow with one of our riding mowers and saving some steps. I was also grateful that our daughter Laurel had helped us during her spring break from Emporia State University, and continued working with us when her spring break was extended due to the virus, and that she had promised to work with us again for the summer when she finished all of her classes.

As I continued to look over our tree-filled back yard, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for God's faithfulness and blessings, even though I felt we were on the precipice of COVID-19. In the weeks since, I have often gone back to that moment when I so clearly felt that peace that surpasses all understanding. 

Philippians 4:6-7 has long been my go-to verse, and it is even more pertinent now.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let you requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus."

My green gables- Our hot tub at the back of our house is normally a peaceful place, but this time I experienced a peace that even surpasses understanding.