We had survived our adventures at Takakkaw Falls (See “The Road to Takakkaw Falls”), and we were now headed for our next destination: Emerald Lake. We had checked with the tourism bureau and found out that the road was quite smooth, unlike the one we had taken to the falls. What a relief!

The rain had still not let up. In fact that gray blob overhead that some call “the sky” still showed no signs of lessening its continuous downpour. We were so drenched however, that we no longer even cared. The only weather-related problem we still worried about when we stopped to take pictures of a natural bridge formation along the way was the raindrops quickly attacked our camera lenses!

When we arrived at Emerald Lake, I parked our van in the spot closest to the lake, but for some reason, my kids were taking their time getting out. “Guys, let’s go!” I called.

“Euh… It is quite wet out there!” Exclaimed my youngest son.

“Come on. You told me you weren’t made out of sugar!”

“Papa, do you think we could park somewhere else? There is a puddle in front of my door.”

“A puddle!” I exclaimed, starting to open my own door. “Since when did you worry about a little water! Come on! Let’s go!” But I didn’t step out. Underneath my car was a virtual swimming pool! It had rained so much that the water on the parking lot reached half-way up the tires of the car parked next to ours! “This isn’t a puddle!” I cried. “It’s a lake!”

My boys started laughing as I moved our van to higher grounds. I firmly closed my ears to their comments of, “You said we weren’t made out of sugar!” I didn’t see anyone complain however, when we were finally able to exit the vehicle without needing to use our bathing suits.

The view out over the lake was far from spectacular as the rain continued to make its presence clearly visible, but this seemed perfectly normal by now, and we took pictures as if it were sunny and clear. Then we retreated to the only dry spot in the area: A souvenir shack. The car with the half-buried tires was still in the parking lot when we finally returned to our van. We had to wonder if its poor passengers were stuck in the souvenir shop! We sure hoped not.

The rain finally began to let up on our way back to Banff, and the long, hot shower back at our campground was quite refreshing. I guess we still hadn’t had enough water for one day!

It is amazing how quickly we become accustomed to things that once were considered unusual. Think about all the changes we’ve had to face in the past few years: Terrorist bombings, anthrax mail, West-Nile virus, SARS, Asiatic lady bugs, paying over a dollar a liter for gas . . . Before the year 2000, anyone would have labeled you as a nightmarish fantasy dreamer for even thinking such things possible. Nowadays however, despite the fact that these things affect the entire world, we treat them like mere facts and continue our lives as if nothing were wrong.

Sin is much the same. It is so common that we treat it as normal. We give in to temptation, totally unaware that we have become addicted to its influence. There are so many miserable people, so many who search for a way out of sin’s clutches. They may have tried to break free, but they only find themselves more and more engulfed in its vicious grasp.

The only way out is through the One who made it possible: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36 NIV) He is the only One who cared enough about you to willingly submit Himself to the deadly consequences of sin so that you could be set free: “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance-now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” (Heb 9:15 NIV)

Freedom is yours if you accept His offer and let Him become your friend. Knowing Jesus is like taking a nice, long, hot shower after having spent the day shivering in the rainy, cold weather. You will start experiencing inner peace that is beyond your wildest dreams, to say nothing of true freedom from the sinful addictions! Why wait? Take Him up on His offer. He loves you!

P. S. Be careful when you get out of your car. You never know what you’ll step into!

Rob Chaffart