Conforming

Our state contest starts in a couple of hours. I slept like a baby, no worries, for 2 minute snatches. Since I am at a hotel, once again I have no picture to brighten the blogosphere, just my words. They will have to suffice today. Your imagination should supply the pictures anyway on this one. Our whole team was to meet for dinner last night, and we had agreed to all make duct tape outfits which we would wear to dinner. I had not been planning on getting in on the act, but was talked into it, especially by Asherel. And I actually had a lot of fun constructing a turquoise blue dress with duct tape purple irises dancing along the bottom border.

So we all filed in to the nice restaurant at various times as we arrived. Our first member arrived in a full bright blue and silver duct suit with tie and tophat and even duct tape shoes. We were pulling in and I saw several people stop to talk with him, or gape at him as they walked by. Then we arrived, Asherel in an elegant navy blue and silver dress with silver roses, silver sandals and silver purse... all of course duct tape. The three of us walked in in our duct outfits, and the receptionist raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask why the world was suddenly raining duct.

Then the next member arrived, one with a duct rose in her hair, and the other with a flashy grey pants and vest in duct. Finally our last member sauntered in, wearing a turqouise blue dress with bright pink spots and sash, and pink pointy duct tape heel shoes.

No one ever asked why this entire group was dressed in duct tape.
When we returned to the hotel, there was a large family gathering at the outdoor patio. We were one of the last ones out of the reataurant, so I know they had seen the whole duct tape group traipse back in one by one, to the hotel.

I could tell the family was bursting with curiosity, and finally one teen could stand it no longer and came racing over.
"Please," she cried, "Why is everyone wearing duct tape?"
She was from Wisconsin, and I think she feared that a new fashion fad was going on in NC that she had missed. She asked us to pose so she could send our picture back to everyone she knew. She asked details on how we made our dresses, and asked how comfortable they were. You just know that next week, duct tape clothes will be all the rage in Wisconsin.

And I think that is often the way it is when we no longer conform, but are transformed by something so remarkably different, the world notices. If it works with duct tape, imagine what would happen to a world transformed by the cloth of heaven.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.