Floored

Floored

Wise choices will watch over you.

Proverbs 2:11

Our plane taxied into the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport with thirty people from my church aboard. We were there to serve the people of First Baptist Church of Gulfport. Before nightfall, we sat in our barracks in sight of the church. The beautiful old building faced the Gulf Coast, and when Katrina had come ashore, a twenty-five-foot water surge had smashed through it.

Our prayer-and-planning room consisted of a handful of plastic chairs circled under a tree, and our sleeping quarters were two bunk bed–filled FEMA trailers. Our bath area was in a separate trailer, lined with curtained shower stalls and divided in half—a men’s side and a women’s side, each with its own door.

Night approached, and a couple of women took their pajamas, towels, and toothbrushes and traipsed to the showers. They returned shortly, saying the floors were wet and there was no place to lay their clean clothes.

I had a solution. I hurried outside and grabbed a plastic chair from our meeting area. We had been told to back into the shower area to give people privacy, so I darted up the ramp and backed into the room. One lady was already in the shower, or so I thought. I walked to her door and said loudly, “Here’s your chair.”

A man cleared his throat and mumbled something. Immediately, I knew I had chosen the wrong door.

Returning to the barracks, I laughed with embarrassment until tears spilled down my face. The ladies insisted that I share what was so funny. I hesitated, but they promised not to tell anyone.

The next morning as we assembled under the tree for devotions, one woman said, “I think there’s a chair missing.” The others giggled and agreed—while I struggled to look innocent.

—Pam Whitley

Lord, help me to slow down long enough to be alert to my surroundings and my choices. And keep me from stumbling into places and situations I need to avoid. Amen.