“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 it!
Holly Hoskison
This would be lovely. Way to perk us up and think about the rest of us.
Wow!!! This is a great giveaway!! No real summer plans so far. Sound like your trip was great!
Thanks for the pick me up. Life is hard. I stay at home with 4 kids and ministry on top of it all. Short story, my husband and I felt God’s call about 3 years ago that all we had was his and needed surrendered to Him. We did after lots of conversations (ours not his, his request never once changed)and asked a couple to move in that needed a place to stay and work through marriage and financial stuff. Since then another young adult has joined the ranks and we are walking through his journey of restoration and reconciliation. My home now houses my family of 6 and three more (4 more every other weekend as the married couple has a step daughter that comes every other weekend). All this to say, I do not get the privilege of getting away. My home is a place of ministry for this season and we are in the thick of it. It is blogs like this one that fuels me and encourages me. God bless!!
Lesli
St Cloud, MN
Oh, what a wonderful slice of summer this would be! Thank you for this opportunity to begin my summer with a sweet surprise!!
Wow! Your vacation sounds like a dream. I would love to see the mountains this summer since that is what I’ve been dreaming about!
What a perfect summer gift!!!
What a great way to pretend to be at the beach! 😉 thanks for the giveaway!
Would love this!!
Thank you, Melissa, for this lovely give-away! I don’t have any vacation “go someplace” plans this summer, would love to win this!
Please add me to the long list of beach lovers.
Thanks for thinking of us.
What a HAPPY and FUN summer giveaway!!! You all are the best 🙂
Michelle M.
This is so neat!! 🙂
Wow! How exciting. Thank you for the opportunity. Looking foward to a laid back summer…to enjoy each day and not let life pass me by.
This sounds like the perfect summer pick me up! Thanks, Jessica
What a blessing this will be for someone!
Praying for a restful summer with peace and precious memories. Blessing to you for thinking of us
I would so love to be refreshed by your collection! I have been stressed out lately with things going on at home and at work, and with 3 kids would so love to win!
Thanks for the chance to win!
Thank you for submitting my name for the gifts.
Love all the goodies you picked out!! What a thoughtful idea! 🙂
If only–this would be a welcome gift basket
for this summer of growth~ Thank you for bringing
a summer smile and a deep desire to win the gift!!
Its such a fun idea!
Blessings to the hands who prepared it!
Sooooo much fun!! Count me in!!
What a fabulous gift pack. Thank you for the opportunity! Have a great day!
How fun!
What fun!
Looks so summer-festive full of fun items, especially intrigued by the Bobbi Brown perfume!
Oh,please pick my daughter Allison Guy!!! She really does need some Mommy pampering!!! She has 2 precious little boys…one is 2 years old and the other is 8 months old and she just found out that she is pregnant with twins!!!! Oh my goodness!!! What a double blessing this is. The thing is…that she will have 4 babies under the age of 3!!! Now you see why she is so deserving of some Mommy sunshine!! Thanks again for the great gifts…whomever wins!!!
So cool!
What a lovely, thoughtful idea.
Thank you so much, what a great idea!
What an awesome summer give-away! Thanks for sharing your favorite things.
just what the doctor ordered.
What a fantastic gift. You are so generous!
Love ya bunches.
Genevieve
Happy Summer!
What a great giveaway! I am, by the mercy of God, selling a house that has been a great source of pain & stress for me & HOPEFULLY, moving this summer. Moving is miserable in the summer, but oh so worth it if I can get out of this house. Your giveaway would make it all the more enjoyable!
This is such a wonderful, thoughtful treat. The excitement of possibly winning is as much fun reading all comments.
I will not be taking a vacation this year because I was recently elected the sectonal youth leader for my church. I will really need to know how to relax at home so thanks for the good ideas.
What a good idea. You must be a gift-giver by nature! Hope your neck is better!
Thanks for your ministry and for being “real” women!
Thanks so much for the opportunity to win
the awesome reminders of the beach. As much
as I would love to go to the beach this summer,
I don’t see it happening. I can always dream, with a little help from my friends. This blog has
truely blessed me more than words can express.
Praying the Lord’s blessings on all the LProof staff. And would greatly appreciate your prayers for me and my family please. Have a great summer!
Thanks for sharing!
What a lovely idea!!!! Thank you!
After the year we’ve had, 2 sons with drug addictions and a daughter who left for CA and is now homeless & hungry, this would be a dream! No vacation plans for this Momma! Have to work! Great idea though!!!!
How fun”)Thnx for sharing your favorite things!!!
Alta Lynn Blake
Meredith Heilmann
LOVE IT!!!!!! Thanks for offering such an awesome beach package.
Just reading the post was mood-lifting. Other than the tummy bug and the crick in your neck. My daughter has a dog named Max several years ago. I had saved for a pair of pricey sandals, bought them and packed them to go visit my daughter. Max who looks a lot like your big boy ate them for a snack the first night I was there. Feel better.
Love it!
After the year we’ve had with 2 sons on drugs and a daughter who moved to CA and we had no idea where she was until this past weekend, I could use some pampering!
Thank you!
Since retirement in 2008 we have not taken vacations. However I am content to stay home and quilt with any extra time I have. How lovely of you to think of those who can’t get away. Thank you.
What a fun give-away! You are thoughtful to put this together.
I forgot to put my name in this section, I got carried away with all my chit-chat.
Sharon Weldon