“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
I know several of my friends that could use a smile and cheering up and this is perfect!
Sweet!
Kelly Calkins- from Washington State! You know I need sunshine in my world! 🙂
So thoughtful! I would love to have the beach brought to Mississippi! My name is Aubrey…and I would welcome some sunshine. 🙂
What a wonderful give-away for some sweet gal that needs an extra treat. I think of my sweet daughters and daughter in-laws that seldom get away from their most important jobs as Mommies. Would love to share this with them.
this is gonna make someone sooo happy 🙂
What a wonderful giveaway! Thank you so much! 🙂
I am a nurse in washington that takes care of my disabled mom who has dementia. I never go on vacations because I always have mom with me. I am single and my siblings support me but live in colorado. I have been doing this on my own for a very long time and without God it could not be done. Caring for other people is much easier than your own family. Thank you for all your encouragement and love I follow you all on twitter to get it.
Thank you! How fun!! I would love to win this!
Please enter me in the giveaway! Thanks and blessings to you.
I need a vacation so bad!!!
~Heather Fortner
If I win this generous and wonderful gift I will pass it on to my daughter, Sarah, fighting brain cancer. Two brain surgeries, chemo, radiation…she has three beautiful children, her husband and her love and passion for our Lord and Savior. Sarah Steele…a true survivor, she is 38 years old and God blesses her life everyday and God gives me a gift every day that I get to speak with Sarah….
I really enjoy your plats and pictures. Thank you for your service to our Savior.
This summer I am sending our daughter to Texas while I stay home in Alaska. It would be great to win a beach in a bag or box! I miss the heat!!!!! But we are where God has us so I learn to adjust to the lack of heat.
I can feel my toes in the sand!
Laura Deibel
I have been having “virtual” beach vacations in my mind…this will help!! 🙂
Love all this stuff!!! Unfortunately, I am one of the ones not getting a break this summer:(
As you mama would say “DELIGHT, DELIGHT”. What a lovely girl you are.
Melissa; such a sweet idea to give a little sunshine to a siesta sister, hope God continues to richly bless you and your family
FUN!! FUN!!
Fun things for summer time!
I would so love to win your give away and share it with my mom. We also have a bad boy/lover who is 120lbs and will be 11 years old in June,just help loving their eyes and the faces they make.Hope you’re feeling better
Cherie Bates
Great stuff. I am staying home with the kids this summer for the first time in 10 years. I am looking forward to it, but a little time for myself would be great too!
This is such a sweet giveaway! Thanks, Melissa! I appreciate your thoughtfulness, even amidst having a stomach bug and a crick 🙂
What a fun idea!
I could use a “gift of love” more than ever right now. I would love to win this giveaway. But, your blog post was so sweet that it did touch my heart. Thank you for your generosity. Amazing!
What a sweet idea! I’m craving a beach vacation!
What a wonderful gesture to give away such a sweet and thoughtful gift to one of your readers. It would be a blessing to receive such a gift. May God continue to bless you while you continue to provide such a wonderful ministry that touches the hearts and souls of so many women!
Laurie Finney. 🙂
Janice Pitchford-would love some summertime fun!
Such a fun giveaway! Thanks, Melissa!
Tooo stinkin’ cute. Being a girl is so much fun!:) I hope to win!!!
Carla Hagan
There’s no place that makes me feel more at peace than the beach. Thank you for such a generous and thoughtful giveaway! 🙂
My oldest daughter is expecting our first grandchild – a boy!! – this July and is living with us since her husband is in the middle of a one year deployment with the US Army. I would love to give her such a nice package of gifts to cheer her up. She is getting no vacation with the deployment and a new baby.
Will not have a vacation this year. On very limited income.
What a fun-filled summery giveaway!! We were blessed to bring our sweet baby girl into the world on May 18th, so we don’t have any exciting getaways planned this summer, but are thankful our little family of three is safe and healthy. I’ve been living vicariously through episodes of House Hunters International…..it gives me somewhat of a summer travel fix while I’m home with little baby! Thanks for all you all do!
What an amazing gesture. What a unique way to experience the beach.
Julie Carlson
Thanks….Please enter me, it has been many years since i was able or could afford a vacation. Such a sweet idea. love your bible studies that i just started doing this year. They have been my vacations and my breath of fresh air.
How fabulous of you!
I am a USPS mail lady who works in Arizona. The beach gifts sound wonderful when it is 110 degrees delivering mail all day. I need a beach !!
Thanks
I think I might look fabulous in “aviators” !!
Thank you for this thoughtful and fun idea!
Melissa! What a sweet gift! I am a teacher and though most teachers break in the summer, I run a day camp and do not get vacation times. I have been doing this for 11 years so camp is special to me but at this moment, it’s a little overwhelming. We start training with our staff tomorrow 🙂
All of our vacation days were used in March when the new grandbaby was born, so there will be no beach trips for us. Unless we work out a day trip. The gifts sound awesome and would definitely bring a smile to this girl’s face!!!!
We’re retired but can’t find time to plan a vacation. People keep coming up with other plans for our time. We just need to do it!
Thanks for doing this! Pray that just the right person will receive it.
Whoa. This is fabulous and fun!!!
What a fun and nice idea!
No big getaway in our home…gas prices as high as they are, we’ll be lucky enough to do a weekend camping trip. Sounds like you had some wonderful relaxing time at the beach…ahhh!
Oh how relaxing and wonderful a vacation at the beach sounds right now while we are pounding away, working hard to finish our new daycare which we would love to have open by July. It has been a long six months and I am in much need of a manicure! hehe! What a wonderful and refreshing package this is and how thoughtful of you to offer.