I had a bad day yesterday. Actually, it wasn’t a bad day. I had a bad inner. My outlook was fragile and cloudy with overwhelm.

A few co-workers talked me through and emailed me out of the overwhelm. Well, kind of, anyway. They reassured me that there is room for grace when overwhelm takes over.

It was a beautiful and warm day outside. I sit at a desk with big old windows that look out over a huge and gorgeous yard. I had lots to do, so boredom was not an issue. I could hear the sounds of the air conditioner, the men on the first floor building a new bathroom, the sweet chimes singing in the light breeze on the front porch, the guys on the new patio out back cutting lines into cured concrete. I had the pleasure of watching sun-tanned little girls riding their bikes with towels draped around their necks headed to the pool, and high school athletes sweating their two-a-day running on this last week before school starts, young moms taking a morning walk with their babies in strollers, and dogs on walks with tails wagging happily.

And I didn’t see the gifts.

Last night, after a frustrating day of work in my overwhelming cloud, I went downstairs to sweep another layer of 100-year-old dust from the floors after the re-modelers left for the day. It was great stress therapy, that repetitive motion and visible evidence that my broom was making a difference.

And then I saw it.

Do you see it?

Evidence.

Evidence that I am so very blessed.  This tiny little heart sticker has been on the floor here in small town USA for over a month now, a tiny reminder that I am so very blessed. A reminder that the house was full of little feet and busy hands, sticky fingers and “Ama! Ama! Ama!” noise just one month ago.

This tiny little heart sticker shone through the cloud of overwhelm last night when I was feeling frustration and couldn’t see the gifts.

So today, I am grateful for a tiny heart sticker that refused to be swept. It’s still there, along with the fingerprints on the dirty front door and the fading chalk rainbow on the porch, and the crayon art on the door frame.

Evidence.

Gifts, all of them.

“He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.”
Psalm 103:13

“He heals the broken hearted . . . He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.”  Psalm 147:3-5

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28