Poker Night 396: Donuts for Dollars

A couple of weekends ago, we sat inside a McDonald's restaurant eating dinner when a surprise occurred.  Two children walked in, holding boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts -- and they proceeded to ask us to buy some.  We openly asked if that was allowed.  They said yes, but took our hint and moved on.

"Krispy Kremes" are welcome in a poker room -- but sometimes they can lead to a meltdown.  So here's what we did with them tonight at The Red Barn....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: King of clubs - King of spades

Good cards have been scarce for us so far, so we've only tested the water in a couple of hands.  We're already at a semifinal table on a three-table night, and start this hand with 4,975 chips.  Sitting one behind the dealer, no one raises ahead of us.  So it's time to move.

"Raise - 1,000."

At a table where players have bought food, drinks and jukebox songs worth tens of thousands, this is a modest inconvenience.  Several players call.

ON THE FLOP: Qh-4h-Kh

A third King comes -- but so does big trouble.  Three hearts open the door for a flush.  Thankfully, the players check ahead of us again.  So it's time to make a bigger move -- as in throwing a block.

"All in for 3,975."

The response isn't exactly what we want.  Not one, but three players call.  We're concerned.

ON THE TURN: 6c

Good.  The three players who still can bet all check.  But keep in mind, the chances of hitting a flush on the river card are slightly higher than on the turn (19.6 versus 19.1 percent).

ON THE RIVER: 8s

So now we can relax?  The table checks again.

"Show me your Aces," a player across from us says.

"Nope, I have three Kings."

"I was chasing a flush," that man admits.  He shows the 10 of hearts, but he has nothing else!  We make a massive gain, to 22,900.

 The cards improved a bit after that, but our success with them came and went.  A-K brought us a gain in the second hour, when a King came on the flop.  But then we missed with A-K and A-Q, and had to fold to potentially bankrupting bets.  We finally did push with A-8 of clubs, but the board didn't pair and a man to our left made a flush.  Our hopes were dashed again, finishing in 13th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Thank GAWWW-D for a three!" a woman said next to us after a hand.  The 3 on the river secured her a higher straight and a nice pot -- and her response sounded exactly as exaggerated as we've spelled it.

"We should thank God for everything," we said quietly to her.  And with no exaggeration.

We've noted many times the importance of being thankful, for blessings great and small.  But we think it's also important to thank God with an attitude of respect:

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.... - Hebrews 12:28

No one in the Bible has the ministerial title "Reverend."  But reverent is how we should be in our dealings with God.  Look at what could happen if we aren't....

To this day they have not humbled themselves or shown reverence, nor have they followed my law and the decrees I set before you and your fathers.  Therefore, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster on you and to destroy all Judah. - Jeremiah 44:10-11

Jeremiah spoke these words on God's behalf.  Biblical history shows that disaster eventually happened, with the nation of Judah taken captive and Jerusalem burned (Jeremiah 52:13, 27).  The lesson for all of us can be summed up simply....

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows. - Galatians 6:7

When you say you thank God, do you mean it?  Really mean it?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 136 final tables in 396 nights (34.3%) - 20 cashes.