Luck Be A Lady

This weekend Josh and I had date-night at Harrah's Casino. We dressed up like high rollers...Josh in his snappy velvet blazer and wing-collared shirt, and me in my black and silver swing dress and high heels. So much fun!

We each got $ 5 on our Casino Card. To my disappointment, you don't actually put nickels into the slot any more...it's all electronic. I'm sure it's easier for the casino, but when you win, there is no happy jingle of coins pouring out over your feet. Your Casino Card just adds 75 cents to your available balance. Not as cool as in the movies.

I'd never been to a casino before, so I was fascinated (and sort of overwhelmed) by the twinkly lights, happy-beepy machines, and sparkly waitresses. People of every hair-style imaginable pushing electronic pennies into hungry screen monitors; trying to line up pirates, pigs, or pineapple; greedy for a win.

Josh was a more agressive better, willing to risk up to 25 cents on every spin. He lost money quickly, but once won 2 whole dollars! I was more likely to bet a dime at a time. My money lasted longer, but I only won amounts like 40 cents. Our $ 10 lasted almost two hours. Good thing we don't have kids to feed!

I'm sure there's some moral lesson or deep metaphor to explore here, but we had to hurry off to the next party. We spent New Year's Day playing poker with our friends Cam and Sharla and Bryan.

The cards were stacked against Josh, and his chips dwindled quickly. Cameron and Bryan tried to read everyone at the table, betting and bluffing until they, too, lost their chips to Shar and me. No wonder they usually don't let the girls play!

All I know about playing poker comes from three sources: my buddy Schoney in Sioux Falls, the poker chapter in "Things You Should Know By Now," and Kenny Rogers' song "The Gambler."

You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when youre sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

Overall, it was a weekend filled with the nagging thought of "maybe this time my luck will change." I got lots of time to practice my poker face and being a good loser.

I'm so grateful to rest on the promise of Jeremiah 29:11, where God says, "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you."

Sure, it's fun to spend a few hours and a few bucks on games of chance. You're pretty much guaranteed to lose, but there's always that sparkly glimmer of hope for a few more pennies added to your Casino Card.

But what the Lord offers has nothing to do with chance and everything to do with certainty. His offer of eternal life is not about luck or about "maybe this will happen."

God knows the plans He has for us as we participate in His kingdom. He knows where we are, and He listens to us. The Lord is the treasure we seek, and He promises He will be found by us.

I'm betting on that.