The tinkle of crystal...

Last night, David and I attended a black tie dinner put on by a conservative lawyer's organization. It was their national convention, and this dinner was the gala event to kick it off. Supreme Court clerks got to go for free, and who am I to pass up a free steak dinner? =) So we went. I put on my maternity finery for the second time, feeling like I got my money's worth out of it at least, and David changed into his tux at work. I met him at the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro stop so we could ride over to the hotel together. It was funny to be standing by myself in the Metro at rush hour, a pregnant woman in formal wear. I got a lot of looks, but I think it all became clear to everyone when I met up with a man in a tuxedo and patent leather shoes. I think an older woman behind us got a kick out of it when we met up and exchanged kisses, and I got a belly pat from David. It felt like one of those unique, fleeting moments that you don't share every day. So we rode over together and joined the crowd at the cocktail hour. Most places, if black tie optional is on the invitation, I think that 90% of the men there will be wearing a suit and tie. That's not the way of things in DC. It was a Thursday night, and 95% of the men were wearing tuxes, and just about every woman I saw had on an evening gown or nice cocktail dress. The ballroom was impressive. There were 1,400 people there sitting at 140 tables. There were beautiful rose centerpieces, candles, a complicated and beautiful place setting, and a 5 course dinner, including palate cleansing sherbet between courses. It was a dazzling sight to this girl from small town NC. And we knew so many people there! It was surprising. There were friends from law school days, friends from Birmingham, friends from when David clerked on the DC circuit. We had thought we'd only know the other clerks and their spouses, but we were wrong. The world suddenly seemed a lot smaller. The speakers poked fun at themselves and the organization with the kind of dry, intelligent wit that seems to be a trademark of legal beagles in the Beltway. A couple of Supreme Court justices were honored. As we sat there and listened, I realized once again what a rarefied world this is that I'm moving in at the moment. I am not used to formalwear and crystal. I'm much more of a jeans and funky t-shirt gal. I love people to feel comfortable in my home, and to me, that means homemade soup, cornbread, and board games. I am moving outside of my comfort zone, learning a different language and a different way of relating. I'm learning to be a different me, just as sincere hopefully, just as Christlike, but more able to converse with a wider variety of people of a wider variety of backgrounds. I wonder how God wants to use these new skills in my life. I wonder what all the crystal and candlelight is about. I wonder what He wants me to learn from these experiences. It certainly isn't that He wants me to get used to opulence, and I certainly don't want to get spoiled with free filet mignon. Maybe it's to learn how to be His light and His fragrance in places I wouldn't have expected? We often think of how important it is to be His light in third world countries or to our next door neighbors. But how often do we think about how much His fragrance is needed in fancier settings? I know I haven't thought much about it, but I'm in them now temporarily, so perhaps I should. Hmmm. Wherever I go, whether it's wearing blue jeans or black silk, I want to learn to spread His light.