Show, Place or Win

{Today is Saturday Story day, a diversion from the daily devotional and a chance for me to write random stories. My grandkids eventually caught on to my penchant to exaggerate or make things up out of whole cloth. As they grew older they started asking Monica, “Is that a story or is that the truth?” Well, my stories here are the truth. At least they are to the best of my recollection. Don’t go fact checking me or anything like that. Some days there is a moral to the story and other stories are just stories. I hope you enjoy them.}

Back when I was out at Eastern Hills Baptist Church, there was a guy named Carl who had a good chaplaincy ministry going out at the Will Rogers Downs race track. He was doing Bible studies and services with the people who worked in the stables. I got to know Carl as he attended our Wednesday evening services at EHBC.

He invited Donnie Jackson and me to come over and let him show us around. I think they called it “Clergy Appreciation Day” at Will Rogers Downs. Donnie and I were the only guys who came. I suppose clergy were generally confused about what to do with an invitation to the race track and casino. At one point, Carl got us a table out by the track to have lunch. They gave us sheets that had the horses listed for the races that were happening and their odds and past record in races.

We didn’t know come here from sick um about horse racing, but for fun and not for money, Donnie and I started guessing which horses would win.

I was doing great and feeling like a horse racing savant until the last race where I totally blew it. My imaginary bets I had been placing all went up in smoke when the horse I picked came in dead last.

It was them I realized I would be well served not to gamble because I’d be that guy who would keep running until his luck ran out on him and leave broke or worse.

And Carl…he did such a great job that the last I heard he was asked to come to a bigger track and start up a ministry there. I appreciate guys like him.

horse race