“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
A kitchen remodel is exciting, but it is no beach!
Gifts are my love language 🙂
I’ve never won a giveaway, but it’s fun to give it a try! Thanks for a vacation in a box.
Love the beach. Only wish I lived closer.
Andrea Runyon
What fun Melissa!!!! Thx!!!
No vacation for us this summer – my husband has a new job and two of our four kids are in college, so no time or money for a vacation.
I work at a Christian Conference Centre, and of course, we are in our busy season now, so I definitely won’t get a break this summer! I’m already envisioning my nails with that pale pink shade on them :o)
Judith
Orillia, Canana
How sweet! With my oldest graduating and preparing for college, getting a job and only God knows what else, this would be a fantastic break. 😉
This is so fun, thanks!
My daughter is having surgery this summer (she is 3) So no vacation for us!
I guess I should not complain about no break considering I will be spending my summer with five beautiful children. Sometimes, however, even I need a breather from my lovely kiddos.
I am already feeling the love!
Leah
I just finished nursing school and sending myself on a much needed get away to Florida to see my family. That gift looks amazing!
I just had a baby so needless to say we shall not be traveling to any tropical islands this year! But, Winston is super cute!
Sweet!
lori lightfoot
A great way to “get away!”
…not going anywhere (and I love that shade of pink!!) 😉
I am a single mom who hasn’t had a break in years and would love to get this!
Fun giveaway items! A little summer fun would be a blessing!
I figured why not enter. I have not won anything like this. Doesn’t hurt to try. Thanks for offering this fun drawing.
Oh please pick me! I’d love anyone of those fabulous items! I know whoever gets the wonderful gifts will have been prayfully chosen by you all! Blessings abound to everyone who reads this.
Yay!
Teresa Tabb, Roseville CA
Thank you. I love reading your stories. I had a Rottweiler before my daughter was born.
Best dog EVER!!
We’re not going anywhere this summer unless we get a referral for our adoption, in which case we’ll be in Africa. Saving our pennies and vacation days for that trip, and I’m sure it will be quite the adventure.
My precious daughter, Christine Douglas and her new husband, Caleb went to Santa Rosa Beach for the Memorial Day weekend with our family. Unfortunately, Caleb got a horrible stomach bug and my Baby Girl did a very grown up thing…she packed their packs and loaded them into their car along with her very sick hubby and headed home. She didn’t want any of us to catch this nasty bug. They planned and saved for months for this vacation…our hearts were broken for them. I would love to add her name for this wonderful give away. Thank you for such a wonderful idea!
I will have a crazy busy (but fun!) summer with a bunch of teenagers as part of our student ministry. I’ll need all the sanity I can get squeezed inbetween a senior trip, amazing week at camp, a local middle school mission, an 8th grade mission trip, and a college retreat!
I need some sunshine. My daughter who is 12 with a brain injury was rushed to the hospital last Monday night and had to stay overnight, her heart rate was 185 and they found she has pnemonia in her right lung. I found my husband on all fours in the bathroom this past Saturday morning complaining of shortness of breath and tightness in his back…rushed him to the ER. My other daughter who is 7 is sensing all the stress and seems stressed herself. I am feeling very depleeted and cannot keep everyone’s world’s spinning happy. I have contacted my nursing company telling them I need more help. I feel very guilty over that. So yes, I could use some sunshine in my life right about now. Thanks for prayers…I need them!
Stephanie Lloyd
Thanks Melissa!
What an awesome treat… Stephanie Cline
This would definitely bring some major smiles to my face!!
This makes my heart happy. Bring on the summer fun!! Thanks and Blessings!!
Oh my….look at all of those goodies!!! A great relaxation package!
I would love to win your contest. I have been home schooling my four children for the past 18 +/- years. I have been blessed to have a few get-aways but not enough with my husband. ~smile~ Anyway, thanks for putting out an offer of this kind.
What a wonderful summer treat!
I need a ‘beach’ experience!
Me! Me! Pick me! Pick me! I haven’t been on vacation in 7 1/2 years!! I’m dying bc I haven’t smelled sea air or felt an ocean breeze in ages! Thanks for thinking of us!
I would love to win this for my amazing daughter, Bethany, who is using her summer vacation time to go to India & work in an orphanage there. I love her servant’s heart! Thanks for doing this, Melissa– what a fun start to summer! (hope your neck is better, honey)
Hey, Melissa-What a great contest idea! Really enjoy your input on the LPM blog and esp. am grateful for your insight on the recent JAMES Bible study. Blessings- Glenda
Oh pick me, pick me 🙂 I won’t get a break this summer, other than no school, which is nice. I’m a seminary student and we’re paying for a son in college. I would love all those goodies, along with everyone else! Thank you, Melissa, for putting it together!
I could surely use some sunshine!!!! What a great giveaway!!!
His,
Shari
PS- Please share pics of your vacation! Sounds like y’all had a blast!!!
Wow…this is awesome and so sweet of you Melissa!
I live in Fort McMurray, Alberta and myself and three of my girlfriends are making the 8 hour drive to Calgary, Alberta next weekend to see your mom! We are so excited! We have been counting down since 91 and today marks “9 more sleeps!”
We have worked through some of the Bible Studys at our Ladies Group at our church and we fell in love with your mom’s ministry then. Just to be in the same room with her is soooo exciting!
So, if I do win this basket….feel free to have her bring it with her to Calgary and I’ll get it from her there…ha, ha.
Many Blessings,
April Anstey
Andrea Bishop
Just mentioned how much I was really needing the beach… Loved you pics… Thanks for sharing…;+)
What a great collection! Definitely would bring sunshine and smiles to the lucky recipient!
No vaca for us this summer! We’re adopting a retired racing greyhound. That will be our summer treat!
Susan
yay for summer! we’re going to be moving this summer so no “vacation” for us! would love to have a little summer in our new, yet to be found, home!
I’ll soon be taking kids to CentriKid Camp, of which I love to go with them and watch them engage and worship Jesus! It’s an amazing time, but exhausting . This would be a welcome treat to come back home to and recuperate. Sooooo, pick me…..please!
What an awesome give away – thank you!
I’m in!! 🙂
What a delightful giveaway! My summer won’t contain exotic islands, but it will contain lots of time in the sprinkler with my little ones!