“My husband is in Afghanistan and a few ‘favorite things’ would brighten my day!”
How about that, Sisters?!? OK, Edie, please contact Living Proof Ministries at toll free (888) 700-1999 and give us an address. Please ask for Kimberly or Susan. Knowing what we now know, all of us here would want so much to send you to the beach…but, instead, we’re sending the beach to you. ENJOY!!!
PROCEED WITH CAUTION: this post will embody most everything you anticipate and perhaps even despise about women’s ministry. There will even be pink nail polish. As the great Professor Thornbury said a few weeks ago on the Twitterverse “something is not a stumbling block if you can see it coming.” So, consider yourself warned.
Colin and I just returned from a week at the beach in Mexico. It was crazy fantastic. I slept. I read classic literature. I also swam with a dolphin named Duey. And on the day I returned home I was greeted abrasively by a stomach bug and a crick in my neck so bad I could barely move my head. Oh, and then my 100 lb puppy Winston ate my over-priced prescription eye-glasses. But how can I really be frustrated with this bad boy?
Anyway, since this weekend was the Memorial Day holiday I scrolled through numerous tweets from people who were somewhere fabulous while I was at home with a bag of frozen corn under my neck. And I began to weep for the serenity of the ocean and my dolphin Duey.
But enough about me.
I want to talk about you.
I got to thinking that there may be some of you who won’t get a break this summer. While nearly everyone you know is off to some fabulous island, you won’t get a moment’s rest. For whatever reason, you won’t be able to retreat to the beach or the mountains or to wherever else makes your heart happy. We want to send a little fun and lots of love your direction so we’re doing a random give-away. And it will not include commentaries, concordances, or anything super useful or meaningful.
This giveaway is simply full of some of my personal favorite summer things including: Bobbi Brown Beach parfum (seriously smells exactly like the beach!), classic Ray-Ban aviators, Votivo Candle in White Ocean Sands, a pair of bright yellow Moleskine notebooks, Tea Forte’ Pomegranate Blackberry Iced Tea, and America’s Test Kitchen Best Summer Dessert recipes. See the contents below:
There are really no conditions for this giveaway. My hope, of course, is that this gift makes it into the hands of someone who simply can’t get a break this year and not someone who is heading to the Maldives or Bora Bora next week to stay in one of those little huts with glass floors sprawled across sparkling turquoise waters. But truly, if this gift brings a big smile to a single one of your faces that is quite enough for me.
So, please enter your name in the comments section if you could use a little sunshine in your world. We’ll do a random drawing and announce the winner at noon on this Thursday the 31st.
You are loved.
Melissa
Love how everything sounds!
Fabulous!! I love the beach!
Enjoying the heat after a long, cold winter is my getaway 🙂
Looks like all the makings for a “staycation”!
Oh how fun you are! O’Nealya Gronstal
Just came through a desert season- with some continuing dry spots predicted. This would be a fantastic boost. Thanks for the chance!
We moved to Kentucky from the Georgia-Florida line last July. Kentucky is NOWHERE near an ocean, people! This is taking a lot of getting used to! Maybe if I win this giveaway, I can at least pretend to be at the beach. 🙂 Blessings to you all!
one of my best friends is at the beach right now. i am so jealous and wish i could go this summer, but with college it just is not an option. this is such a sweet, lovely giveaway! 🙂
What a great collection of summer items -Mechelle McGuire
This is so girly and great!
What fun! I feel blessed already!
This looks so great!! Thank you:)
I’m writing this for my older sister. She just has it tough. Lots of stuff for lots of years. Truly works so hard for not much and won’t be going anywhere this summer. I would love for her to be surprised. Her heart has broken a million times for a million reasons and truly she just keeps keeping on. She loves Jesus and she could so use a blessing. Thanks Melissa…for shining a bright light into some dim places.
Wow! How sweet! Everything is so thoughtful. Thanks for having this giveaway. 🙂
How fun! (And generous 🙂 I must admit, I’m very intrigued by the beach-scented parfum…
(I hope you’re feeling better!)
What a fun giveaway…how sweet of you all! Would love to be entered, thanks!
I just set my phone up last night with 10 alarms to ring me throughout the day to tell me what to do next with the kids to maintain peace. I even used my 3 yr old’s pretend teacher pointer to introduce everyone to the “summer school of LOVE”, told them the mommy rules, and taught them the summer cheer. Please, Jesus give me strength to be the best mommy You created me to be until Fall.
Melissa! WOW – and I thought you were super sweet to give your Mom those sassy shoes! This is amazingly generous! I love it! I’m going to be one of those “not going anywhere this summer” folks…except for a couple of trips to the Farmers Market. 🙂 I’m saving vacation days for the Fall when grandbaby #4 is due…a GIRL 🙂
Much love,
Georgia Jan
Marita
This brings a huge smile to my face. 🙂
Great idea! Thanks 🙂
Such a fun giveaway!
Great collection. Thanks!
This is a great idea! Someone will love you for it! And no, there are no vacation plans on the horizon here.
Sounds marvelous. Thanks for all you ladies do!
Just reading the list of items to be given away makes me happy. Thank you so much for doing this!! What a delight.
Such a lovely idea … thank you! 🙂
Great idea to inspire and encourage us landlocked souls! I dream of a beach every day!
Looks like a perfect bag of goodies…I’m pretty sure heaven is going to smell like Bobbi Brown Beach perfume!!
What a lovely thing to do! Oklahoma has no beach and that’s where I’ll be.
Wahoo! Sun and FUN! Y’all are a huge blessing!
Oh wow! I’m not headed to the beach this summer (boo!!) so this would be a lovely gift!! 🙂
I LOVE THE BEACH. the end . :D.
Jenifer Jenkinson
I am moving from one cloudy place to a cooler cloudy place. A little sunshine would feel great!
What a great idea! I felt refreshed just reading the post.
Sarah Marion
Hi, Melissa, what a blessing this gift will be for those of us, who will not be able to go to the beach this summer. Our daughter is starting college in August and with the expensives of college, we are focusing on college and getting her ready for her dorm, etc. It is an exciting time!! Thank you 🙂
So sweet of you Melissa!! Looks like a great prize!
summer fun!! thank you, thank you, thank you!! : )
Amanda Godsey
AWESOME!!!! Thanks!
Feeling super hopeful!
Wow!!! Way to much fun!!!! It’s like a vacation, birthday, and Christmas, all wrapped up in one great package!!!! This would be the perfect thing for this summer!
So thoughtful of you!!!
Looks Fabulous!!!
Cannot get away with three daughters in college….someday!
oh i can smell the beach looking at all the stuff. but since i was downsized from my job in April and having a daughter getting married in Aug. this girl will not be going anywhere except to a friends pool. Blessins to you.
I would love to win this!
Julie Ratcliff
Love, love, love! Yes, please! <3
Touched my heart even if I don't win (and I never do :-P)
what a thoughtful idea, and a thoughtful ministry! Love y’all!!!! (ps those sunglasses are stunning ;))
What a blessing this would be! Thank you for offering such wonderful summertime goodies!!
Awesome opportunity! No trips for me this summer, not even one to go home and see my family. 🙁 Maybe next year though.