“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
Wonderful idea!!!
Woohoo, this is fun! Thanks Melissa!
Rhonda Siler
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Nothing better than the serenity of the beach! Fun idea!
I always have hope of winning…lol
How thoughtful! We want to try to go to the beach this summer but with small kids ( 2 under the age of 2) it gets really hot fast! Maybe we’ll try on a cooler day !
WOW! What a loving, generous and very thoughtful gift. You guys really are the hands, feet, mouth and heart of Jesus. This gift will totally brighten someone’s summer. And although this would be fantastic to win (I’ve been stuck at home sick for the past four years), I still win having been blessed in my heart by your love for us. Thank you! You’re awesome!!
We MIGHT get away to Branson. Oh, joy, hot pavement and hillbillies (I can say that because I’m from Soutwest MO). The give away looks really fun!
Loved the pic of your Hubster with the dolphin on Twitter. Too cute!
I’m entering the contest! The only vacation I’m taking is to my parent’s house with my son. Not very “beachy”. And I won’t even get to sleep late! 🙂
So sorry to hear that you returned from such a fab trip not feeling well!’ 🙁 total bummer!! Love your favorite things….how fun!! Lovin those Ray Bans! And I bet that tea is yummy! What a great summer treat!
Awesome giveaway! Thanks! 🙂 Cheri Windley
I am soooo ready for some summer fun and sun!!! What a fun give a way and a great way to encourage!! Love it!
What a thoughtful observation! I’ve been homebound for 5+ years with MS and recently hearing about others’ beach trips really has made my heart ache. I have loved the beach and swimming my whole life but I maneuver mainly in a power chair so I’ve just been visiting happier times in my mind. Thank God for the power of sweet memories! I would cherish this gift bundle to enhance that process!
Great giveaway. Thanks for the opprtiunity. Please select me.
Oooohhhhh, Aaaahhhhhh …
So fun! Happy Summer everyone!
sunshine? Yes please!
Alicia phillips
How fun!! And . . . how generous! Count me in, too. (Hope your tummy and neck are all better.)
Blessings to you, Melissa!
So clever-beach in a bag! This would be the only beach I’ll see this summer:). Ohio is too far from the ocean!! Thanks for your thoughtfulness. God bless!
Mmm. Summertime. Kids are in “year-round” school (not joking) so it won’t be until August until we have a summer break.
My name is Melody and I would like
to be your random winner
This sounds like a fun treat, thanks for everything you all do!
Oh how I miss living on a tropical island! So many childhood memories! Being a full time working mom of 4…let’s just say my vacation hangs on my window at work where I try to take 5 minutes to daydream of someday going back for a visit. I haven’t had a vacation in almost 10 years & I crave it daily!
What a sweet thing to do … we are sending my 14-year-old son to camp this year, which won’t leave any money for a vacation. I love “stay-cations” anyway!
Lisa Emerson 🙂
Oh what a wonderful idea for a summer giveaway! Thanks for thinking of all of us. I hope whoever wins has a fabulous time with these goodies!
Thanks so much for this giveaway! I so wish I could live at the beach…:)
Great! This is really a sweet idea for those of us not able to take a vacation-
Thanks!
What a great idea!
– Michelle Bornfleth
What a fun idea! My only summer getaway this year will be to a professional conference, so any reminder of the beach would be appreciated.
How cool!
Did someone say “sunshine” ? Love your idea. Simply awesome and uplifting !Happy Sunshine back to you !
Our own little beach spa in a bag! Thanks for entering me in the drawing.
Glad you had a nice vacation and that your ‘belly bug’ waited to attack until you were home again.
“Like a waterfall pouring over me, so are the blessings of my King.” (from an orginal song by Todd Wallace)
(no need to enter my name, though we won’t be going to the beach either)
I love the beach!! I consider the beach, the ocean, the sand, the smell one of God’s most wonderful creations! I have 2 friends who won’t get a break this summer and life is not easy for them with them right now. I would love to “bless them” with a Beach theme box!
I love, love, LOVE free stuff and giveaways!!! 🙂
Sorry you were so sick…. Praying you are so much better. What a sweet giveaway. Thank you for thinking of us. Blessings, Shannon
Such a sweet thing!
I would LOVE to have this to share with my friends who have been so good to me this year! Though my life used to include an annual beach getaway and wonderful trips (like to Greece for the filming of Beloved Disciple), my life is very different now. Having survived a divorce in 2003, remarriage to a wonderful godly man in 2006 only to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer one month later and breast cancer since 2008, and saying “goodbye for now” to my precious husband February 13th, I am pretty beat up, and unable to work, so definitely no trips for me. BUT, I have never been more blessed than the past 6 years and it would be so wonderful to be able to share with those who have been so kind to take me for treatments and to provide food.
How wonderful! Thank you!! I was living vicariously through you when you posted pics of your beach trip. Hope you’re all better by now and just have sweet memories of your vacation instead of the way it ended 🙂
Lisa Morrow
This is such a great idea! Thanks and I hope you are feeling better.
Ooooh…I just love Give Aways!! We are currently on a speaking trip in NC, connecting with supporters for our ministry, but don’t think we’ll be able to make it to the beach. Would love to win!!
HOORAY!!!!! This is awesome! The beach is my bliss. xo
Great summer giveaway! Thanks so much!! Hope you are all healed! Blesssings!
Donna Spiegelman
Oh, pick me, pick me, pick me!! This giveaway will make my “stay-cation” a VACATION! I could even take a few days off work to enjoy this with a few family and friends!
What a wonderful treat!! Brooke Fuqua
To win this would totally be a blessing. Life can be very weary but a little nail polish sure can make a girl smile.
O while…sure could use a little brightness during the hard times.
What a sweet and thoughtful idea!!
Such a sweet idea! Looks like fantastic stuff!