Poker Night 404: One Step or Two

We're getting settled down in our new city, but find the schedule for local poker room tournaments doesn't fit with our current work schedule.  So on Mother's Day, we returned to Betty's Runway for an afternoon game -- and were surprised by how many women (even moms) showed up.  But it wasn't a mother who corrected our ways....

BLINDS: 400/800

IN THE POCKET: Ace of spades - 9 of spades

We won a couple of early pots with timely bets, but not the best of cards.  Now we're in the Big Blind with about 7,500 chips.  No one at the table of seven raises ahead of us.  It's tempting to raise right now with these fairly big cards and scare players away.  But we opt for caution and check.  About half the table is in.

ON THE FLOP: J-9-5 (no spades)

There's no Small Blind, because that player was eliminated on the prior hand.  So we're up first, with middle pair -- and we try to seize on it with a position bet of 1,000.

To our left sits a younger man in a wheelchair, who seems to have some sort of developmental disability.  He could call -- but instead he goes all-in!  The table folds, leaving it up to us.

"I have a feeling I jumped offside here," we say while hoping for a sign from our opponent.  He smiles a bit, but says nothing.

If that man has a Jack, he's ahead of us -- and he's already taken one pot from us with a better kicker on a pair of Kings.  After a moment, we opt for caution again.  "I'm going to fold."

He's then nice enough to turn over his cards: J-9.  He had us dominated, and we made the right decision.

Good cards didn't come for us after that until we were in the Big Blind with A-J.  A man doubled the blind ahead of us.  We responded by going all-in, and getting called.  That man had a pair of 7's.  Only low cards came on the board, giving him the win.

We had a short day, finishing in 20th place.  But at least we took home a piece of butterscotch candy as a consolation prize -- certainly the most unusual "pot sweetener" we've ever seen.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We defer on this day to the Tournament Director, who noted it was a special day.  He gave every women at the tables small boxes of chocolate, whether they were mothers or not.

"I plan to be here on Father's Day," we joked -- hoping to receive a matching gift.  But seriously, it's proper to do such things for the parents who give us life:

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. - Exodus 20:12

Our study Bible lists four ways you can show honor: "Prize highly.... care for.... show respect for.... obey." If your mother is old and inform, the care can come in meeting her physical needs -- even when events in life intervene.

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother."  From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. - John 19:26-27

Jesus said these words while He was crucified (verse 18).  The Son of God was giving His life for the sins of all mankind -- and yet He took a moment to think about His mother nearby.  (The disciple who took her in probably was John, who wrote this account.)

If Jesus cared this much for his human parent, even at such a momentous and excruciating time, how much should you care for your mother and father while they're still alive?  What act of honor and love could you show -- large or small?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 139 final tables in 404 games (34.4%) - 21 cashes.