P.E.I's red dirt clinging to our van
It was a rather unusual T-Shirt. It showed a picture of a brownish-red dog
with the caption "No White Dogs in PEI!"
We had just crossed the Confederation Bridge from New Brunswick to Prince Edward
Island, and had stopped to use the washroom and briefly visit the shops at the
foot of the bridge when we saw this unique shirt. What on earth could it mean???
"Maybe no white dogs are allowed on the island," I wondered out loud.
"No, I don't think so," stated one of my boys. "I think white dogs turn dirt red
in PEI! Look at that ad about t-shirts!"
"Oh, they're just trying to sell their shirts!" I sputtered.
To give you a little background, Prince Edward Island is renowned for its
potatoes and its red dirt. You can't drive through the province without noticing
the numerous potato fields with the dark green foliage contrasting delightfully
with the red soil. The numerous dirt roads across the province are the same
color as the fields, and even the beaches are covered with red sand.
We were told that the soil has a high iron content which gives it this unique
color. Whatever the reason, tourists fall in love with this unusual dirt. I
encountered a teenager the other day using a spoon to scrape some of that
colorful substance off of the dirt road that ran through the campground. She
spent nearly an hour retrieving 1/8 of a cup. And I have to confess that I took
a Ziploc bag down to the beach and carried home a sample as well!
But did this reddish dirt REALLY taint the colors of other objects? After all,
we had visited PEI a couple of years earlier, and we hadn't gone home with any
red stains! It is true that we only stayed two days that time, and we primarily
remained in the major tourist attractions . . . But "No White Dogs in PEI"???
The next day we were strolling through the streets of Charlottetown when we
happened to pass by a "Dirt-Shirt" store. It particularly caught our attention
because of the display by the front entrance. A washing machine filled with
water and PEI red dirt sat on the sidewalk. All of the laundry in it had turned
the same color as the dirt. Red watermarks ran down into the streets and a
once-white shirt, now covered with red dirt stains, was hanging over the open
machine. In another shop, we again saw the "No White Dogs in PEI" shirts.
It seemed that these commercials were having their desired result, because my
oldest son wanted to buy a "No White Dogs" shirt, and he's been proudly walking
around in it ever since. (It's true that we have to machine-wash it on regular
intervals, but we try to avoid washing machines that have turned dirt red!) I
still wasn't convinced however, that there was anything to all of these
advertisements! "Just another way to make a buck!" I muttered as I paid for the
shirt.
It only took three days on this delightful island to make me admit that maybe
there WAS some merit to the ads. After an entire week, I was a convert with no
doubt left in my mind that this red soil could indeed have a huge impact on
other colors! Our white tent-trailer mysteriously transformed into a dirt
reddish tent-trailer. Even our bright golden van changed colors on us and became
a … uhhh . . . I better not insult my van. The black tires on all of the
vehicles could soon no longer be distinguished from the color of the many dirt
roads, and even our clothing inexplicably transformed (could it have anything to
do with the fact that the boys were purposefully running around outside in white
socks?). Washing was helpful, but these spots mysteriously reappeared as soon as
they were washed away!
On the east side of the island, we encountered heavy rain. Surely this would
wash us clean! But it didn't. Instead, it turned the red dirt roads into red mud
roads, and the red marks increased. When we reached the Northwesterly shores of
the island, we were met with heavy winds. Maybe the heavy shaking that we
received would "blow away" our stains! Again, the reddish color continued to
taint all of our belongings. Would we EVER be free of that red dirt???
Doesn't this red PEI dirt remind you of sin? At first it may look so attractive.
Everyone is enjoying the sinful activity, how could it be wrong? Surely
following its alluring invitation could do no harm! Why not have some fun. After
all, we were born to be free, weren't we? We have the choice to do whatever we
want!
Soon, however, we discover that sin clings to us. It penetrates every thought
pattern, and too late, we realize that we are addicted to it. No matter how hard
we try to shake it off, it clings to us. The book of Psalms depicts sin as an
intimate addictive relationship that ends up with a "Lie-Baby": "Look at that
guy! He had sex with sin, he's pregnant with evil. Oh, look! He's having the
baby - a Lie-Baby!" (Ps 7:14 The Message)
Sin is addictive! It is contagious! It affects our whole inner being and even
those around us! "You make plans, but not mine. You make deals, but not in my
Spirit. You pile sin on sin, one sin on top of another." (Isa 30:1 The Message)
We cry out for help and unsuccessfully try to free ourselves from its grip. No
help seems to be available, however, unless we look to Jesus Christ, the only
One who made it possible for us to be forgiven. It's only by coming to Him for
help that we can be delivered from the red stains of our sin. "Then I let it all
out; I said, 'I'll make a clean breast of my failures to GOD.' Suddenly the
pressure was gone - my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared." (Ps 32:5 The
Message) "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." (Isa 1:18 NIV)
Only through Him will our filth turn into a delightful fragrance attracting
others to the One who can really free them. "But thanks be to God, who always
leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the
fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among
those who are being saved and those who are perishing." (2 Cor 2:14-16 NIV)
"Is red dirt really all that bad?" Come to PEI and find it out for yourself!
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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