“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
You guys are so clever! ~Renae A.
With a 1 & 2 year old there will be no beach trips for us this year:)
Ahhhh, I could definitely use a break. Life is hard.
How fun! All those things put my mind on the beach. 🙂 I’ve been dreaming beach-y thoughts for WEEKS now…ahh summer!
What an awesome giveaway! Our family is not taking it’s annual beach trip this summer so this would a very nice replacement. Thank you!
Thank you!
The beach is the place where God has my full attention…any reminders take me to that place…would love to win!
What a treat it would be to win this!
This summer our family is transitioning (read: moving) because of a new job (so grateful!), but no vacation for sure! This would be a fun treat. Thanks!
Love the collection of items. I will not be going to the beach this summer, but my family and I love to go in the fall, when the heat is down a bit and tolerable. Glad to hear you had a good trip, other than the bug at the end. I’d love to win the prize, of course. Blessings, Tina
How thoughtful. Even if I don’t win…I am going to paint my nails pink – An optical illusion that my fingers and toes are on vacation.
This is the sweetest thing ever!! All your favorites are mine too!!
This is such a wonderful idea and a fantastic gift for someone who cannot get to the beach. This brings the beach to you. I am working on my book this summer with my five kids running and playing. I will not be going on vacation, but would love to be entered in the giveaway.
LOVE this!!!
No vacation plans this year–firstborn going to college in fall and planning and preparing for our family to host a Chinese international high school student on Aug. 1! Exciting times!
What a wonderful way to think about the rest of the siestas! Thanks!
Erin Breth
I can feel the sand between my toes and ocean breeze already!
That is an amazing give away! Good luck to everyone!
This package looks great! Thank you for sharing!
I tend to pack a lot of stuff day in and day out for summer…but it looks more like a cooler loaded down with kids’ snacks, swim towels, goggles, band-aids and all things first aid, sunscreen, etc. Soooo, packing this beautiful array of “stuff” for our daily pool outings would be much more fun! Truly, a beautiful collection of summer fun finds!
Please enter me! Looks like fun!! Thanks!!
What a wonderful gift! We have a beach house in SC that we try to use to bring joy to those who might not otherwise be able to afford a beach vacation. This year we are taking a friend who has just endured a year of cancer treatments. She has always wanted a beach vacation. Would love to add this to her week at the house!
No vacation for me this year. I just started dialysis three days a week.
So excited! 🙂
Every summer I always wish God had called me to be a teacher for the months off! 🙂
Man oh man this looks fabulous! So much fun!! 🙂
How fun! 🙂
Kim Wilson….would love to win this!
Thanks for the opportunity! I would love a beach getaway in a box! Very thoughtful!
I am Shawn and I would love to win this beach bag and share it with some of my lady friends. Sharing is a joy.
We own a small HVAC business and summer is out time of harvest. In our line of work summer vacation is a no no : ). We will get away the beginning of fall, so I can’t complain!!! We spend the summer hanging out at all the amazing, free, water playgrounds!!!
That is thoughtful of you. I haven’t had a vacation for years so a sensory vacation would be welcome : o )
This looks heavenly, I would love to win! 🙂
Unfortunately, no vacation this year so all these summer favorites would be awesome!
Theresa Clark, Bowling Green, KY – how special and wonderful! But that’s just like all of you at LPM!
What a great idea! Thank you!!!
OMGoodness! What a special gift package!! Summertime thoughts make me smile!!!
All these things make me smile! 🙂
Judith Hand
Its pouring rain here in NC today and our family has had a big prayer burden since April…so I could use any sunshine likely to head my way.
Very much needed!!
Ahh A weekend on the beach sounds fantastic but don’t think it will happen this summer because of a family members health issues.
My name is Lynette Macolly!! Thank you for thinking of all of us!
Aaah my favorite happy place is visiting Paris! But this give is fabulous. This year instead of a vacation we are planning a wedding, my wonderful step-daughter is marrying the man of her dreams. Wedding dress shopping weekend after next! Oh and I hope to get back to visit Paris in the next year or two. God is so good!
Thank you, Melissa! If my name is drawn I will surprise my hard-working daughter, Erin, with the goodies! A gift from Living Proof – in whatever form it takes – is a blessing!xxxxx
Thanks, Melissa for this! I would like to enter my daughter, Breanna Seitz. She’s a single mom, raising a high energy little 4-year old. She doesn’t get rest until her head hits the pillow at night; then, her little guy enters her bedroom at night to snuggle up to her. At that point, rest is over as he is wrestless!
Oh, this sounds like a simple heavenly escape to me! Thank you!
Would love to win this! How fun!
Very sweet!
Back at work full-time after being home for 17 years. Miss being home with my children this summer. Blessings to all the working moms who juggle so much and relax so little.
Just the thought of it brightens our day… Thank you for your generosity!
Lauren in Senoia! Love this idea!!