What color should my toenails be?

What color should my toenails be? It's time for a new color today. As I look through the options, I realize I have some interesting choices thanks to my friend, Jenn, and that lovely store, Christmas Tree Shop in Manchester, Connecticut. Thoughts of both bring back excellent memories filled with friendship and love and laughter.

But, I digress. Who cares about toenail color, you might say...well, believe it or not, I look at toenails to see what color the owner has chosen to adorn them. I think it says something about one's personality.

Right now, I can choose this lovely blue green color called "Marine Scene." What would the choice of this color reflect about my personality? As I paint it on, I see that it really does reflect the color of the ocean, so blue and rich, yet so transparent. I would like to be this way, blue and rich...genuine, filled with wonder, filling others with wonder like the ocean...yet transparent. Able to be known, seen through. With lots of depth. Yes, this is a definite possibility, I think.

Next on the list is a baby pink. It reminds me of all things young and innocent. Bubble gum and a teddy bear. Confetti on a cupcake. A young baby girl with her whole life ahead of her. A color that reflects purity, an unknowing about all the bad things the world has within. Cancer. AIDS. Lost relationships. Death. Disease. Famine. Job loss. Not making ends meet. Confusion. Panic. Anxiety. Paranoia. There is no sign of any of these things in this beautiful color. Surely, if I were to paint my nails this color, maybe I too could go back to the time when I didn't realize the negative, if just for a moment here and there. Could I steal away some time to relive the wondrous days of my youth?

Next is a color called Ruby Slipper. This gem was purchased at one of my favorite vacation stores: Del Sol. For those who don't know, Del Sol products appear to be one color and design, but when you put them in the sun, they change colors. So, even though the polish is called Ruby Slipper, right now inside my house it appears not ruby at all, but rather a glittery silver. Wow, *this* is Natalie, I think to myself. On the outside, she is glittery silver. She lives in a nice house, goes to church, and has a great job. Her life is looking very beautiful right now. When you look deeply inside her soul, though, you will see a depth. A ruby red. When you put her in heat like the sun, she too will change colors. The red reflects her love for others. It reflects her quick temper. It reflects her primary emotions, as red is a primary color. There are many facets to Natalie. It takes a lifetime to really know them all. Even she can sometimes surprise herself. But wasn't it Eleanor Roosevelt who said that women are like tea bags because you never know how strong they are until you put them in hot water? I enjoy that quote.

The last of my options is "Pow Plum." Pow? Pow Plum is a deep purple color. It is regal, grand. It makes a statement. I can see how this one reflects my desires for myself as well. I want to make a statement. I want to speak into people's lives. I want to be seen without a doubt. To make a difference. To help others see what love is, how God loves them. Toenails that are Pow Plum are not going to go unnoticed. I want to be this for my students. Not that they will notice me for the sake of noticing me, but that they will notice their education...to want to learn....to feel refreshed and em'pow'ered.

In the end, I can't decide yet. All of these colors reflect who I want to be. Deep yet innocent, multifaceted and impactful. Luckily, in my life, I don't have to decide exactly which color I am today. Instead, I let God mold and shape the colors of my life. I give Him thanks and praise for that! I give Him all the credit for who and what I am. I can't wait to see what color God paints my toenails today!