Today was one of those perfect days, even though it wasn’t.

We didn’t get an early start. We rarely do, and this light late nights are really throwing us for a loop. We started from the Lake Louise overflow and drove as far as Golden, BC. Trouble afoot. Deon, stop the car! 

Turns out Deon had missed a turn about 10 minutes into our hour long drive. It was a beautiful drive though, and he had a great attitude about driving the hour back. And if we hadn’t come here, I wouldn’t have this picture. 

Back on track, we headed for Jasper National Park. After a wonderful visit to Banff, I thought maybe it would beat out Jasper. That my memory wasn’t serving me right. 

But Jasper still holds my heart. The mountains are so grand, I can’t throw enough adjectives and superlatives at it to do it justice. Majestic, inspiring, humbling, enthralling. And there wasn’t probably 5 minutes time where we didn’t have views of water as well. Mostly milky blue this time of year, but sometimes the clearest water I have ever seen in my life. Both are equally mesmerizing. It is a treat just to drive.

We stopped at the Athabasca Glacier. We did this same hike 3 years ago, and the glacier has visibly receded. We didn’t choose to pay the money for the bus onto the Glacier, so we don’t get to touch it. We heeded the warnings to stay back, as there were stories of failed rescues, one on this very day a few years ago of a 9 year old boy. 

Back in the car, on down the road, we made a new stop for us at Athabasca Falls. These are incredibly, rushing, powerful falls. It did cause me much stress though, as there are multiple memorials to people who “made a bad decision” that took their life. These falls are beautiful, but deadly. 

While we were there, we came across a man painting a young woman playing the cello on a rock. My kids were enthralled, and she let Jedi play. She also played happy birthday to Finn six times, in honor of his sixth birthday! 

From here we drove to the city of Jasper. We really needed showers and laundry. There was a place to do both, but we kept going because parking was inadequate. We drove to a neighboring state park, which I knew was full, but hoped they would let us shower. We paid for overflow (outside the park) and a nice ranger made an exception and let us in. 

Here is where my day gets interesting. Deon took the 3 older boys, and the girls and Kieran and I headed for the girls shower. There was a *very* long line, even for 5 shower stalls, and we waited at least a half an hour. I let the girls go first, and Kieran and I were up next. Finally it was our turn, and I shooed Kieran into our stall, but heard a little girl sobbing in the stall over. She had been crying for a bit, but I had assumed there was an adult in there with her. I *really* wanted to ignore her and get into my long-awaited shower, but I just couldn’t. 

I knocked on the door and asked if everything was ok. She answered no, that she had left her towel in the main area (which I had noticed), and that her cousins had left her and she didn’t think she could find her way back to her campsite. I told her I would grab her towel and hand it over the door, and I would help her sort everything out when she was dressed. I woefully gave up my place in line for a shower and sent Kieran under Aunica’s shower door so she could deal with him. 

Soon a sweet, red-eyed, seven year old little girl emerged. I told her I would help her out. I told her (and reiterated at least 10 times in the next few minutes) that the best strategy when you are lost is to stay put, but that we could step just outside the door to the playground right outside to see if her cousins were waiting there for her. At this point she had a clearer understanding of the situation than I did. Nobody knew she was there. She had run after her cousins, but far behind, and they didn’t know she had followed. She hadn’t told her parents she was going. I reassured her that her parents loved her, and that they would all be looking for her. I suggested we sit down outside the bathroom and wait. She said she wanted to go looking for her campsite. I said I would go with her. 

Mind you, by this point it is 11pm. Still light out, but late, and very much bear country. 

I let her lead the way. She seemed to find some markers at first, but eventually said nothing looked familiar. Luckily at that point, the ranger station was in view, so I suggested we go there, as they would have record of her parents site number by name. 

The 3 rangers were a little overwhelming for her, but they quickly verified that they could locate her parents. They sent one ranger to retrieve her family, and offered her a mug of water. They joked that it wasn’t coffee, and she said she didn’t drink coffee because she “is a member.” They didn’t know what she was taking about, but I did. She is a member of our church. 

Now, that doesn’t really matter, but it was a powerful confirmation to me that *I* was the one who was supposed to help her tonight. That I ended up in that bathroom, in a series of unlikely events, at just the right time. That there were probably another 10 adults in that bathroom, and none other stepped up to help. 

What I am reminded of tonight are two powerful things. First, the Lord loves each one of us beyond our ability to comprehend. He was looking after her, and sent her a helper tonight. And the second goes in had with that; the Lord places us where He needs us. We all have work to do, right where we are. Be open to that still, small voice that will guide you to do His will. 

I am no angel. I am no hero. We are the Lords hands here on earth, and today I had the opportunity to be reminded of these loving truths. 

It had been quite a while by now, and it was almost midnight. I went back to the rv and made dinner, then went to take my shower. We headed out to our (overflow) campsite. 

My heart was full.