“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
May be too late for this but here goes! Live near the beach but no vacation get away for us this year. I guess I count my blessings that we live nearby! Thanks!
This is for a friend who will not be going away this summer because she is caring for her grandchild because her daughter is unable to due to choices she has made. This dear woman has had her world turned upside down and just when things couldn’t get worse-they did. I would love for her to receive a free “anything” to spur her on to the work God has called her to do. Thanks
what a lovely surprise!thanks for doing this:)
This sounds like a great giveaway!!! How generous. 🙂
How Fun!!! Thanks
please, please dont let it be too late !!!!
nice giveaway! i think i’m too late though. 🙁
think i may have forgotten my email address prior
What a fun thing to do! Thanks, M and LPM!
Thanks for the chance to enter-what a wonderful thing to do!
I’m taking a class this summer so I won’t be “getting away” but I know there are LOTS of women out there more hassled and frazzled than I am. God, you know in advance who needs this most-I pray your choice is the one that wins!
I would love to win this getaway package. So many have entered but I will take a chance anyway! Could use a little brightness about now! Beach is so wonderful!
What a sweet gesture! Thank you for reaching out to so many. May be too late but wanted to try
Yay for Edie! May she feel hugs across the miles from all her Siestas as she receives her gift!
How fun!! Beautiful color and wonderful books!
I am among the “no vacation not a moment’s peace” group of gals. Since I know it could always be worse and there are many women who have far greater trials to bear, I’ll say nothing more than that. But count me in! 🙂
Congratulations Edie!!!
Thanks to your family for the sacrifices you make for our country. Bless you.
Wow! What a giveaway! Hope my luck is better than usual on this one…
I hope I am not to late. I too, am one of the ones who will not be going anywhere on vacation. Just looking at those wonderful gifts brought a smile to my face. How fun and exciting for us all !
Congratulations, Edie!!! Thanks to you and your family for your sacrifice! So glad that you won! 🙂
Kristi
That is awesome! God chose the perfect person for this, not the whiney baby that is me! It’s a good thing I went to an AA meeting before I read this, because I was not having a good day. Lots of stuff was going wrong and I was pissed off and thinking about drinking and might have if I’d have had any money in my pocket. Instead I went to a meeting and I’m in a much better mood now. It was stupid, lame stuff that really doesn’t matter that much anyway, not real problems like other people have!!! I can be so lame sometimes. (Okay, a lot of times.) And AA puts everything into perspective for me. I would have called my sponsor if it wasn’t time for me to get to my regular meeting anyway. It was a good meeting and I got over myself and I still have some stuff to deal with that I can’t take care of at this very moment, which also makes me mad, cause I have no patience and I want to fix it NOW! But I can’t. I just have to do what I can, which is work on my 4th step, read the Word, pray, read the Big Book and get ready to go see my son race his little heart out at a track meet and then sing his heart out at a concert tonight! What an interesting way to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary?!!! 🙂
This makes me so happy for Edie! Hope it brightens her days while she is apart from her husband.
Debbie
Congratulations Edie!! Thank you for the sacrifice your husband and your family are making while he is deployed. Enjoy your basket!
Guess I’m too late for this one, and I could really use a beach perk. I’m from Florida, but moved to Canada in September and while the summer is beautiful up here, there is no sand, no salt water, and no smell of suntan lotion. 🙁
I would like to enter this contest for my new daughter in law NOrrine, who will not get any break this summer and who absolutely LOVES the beach.
thank you.
denise cross
Congratulations Edie!! Enjoy your gift and may God bless you and your family.
Congratulations Edie – so happy for you!
I felt led to pray for a special blessing and encouragement for all of the rest of you “dearly loved and deserving sisters,” as well!
Melissa, could you please tell us where you found the pretty bag for the giveaway?
Thanks!
I am so excited…my daughter is moving to Katy Texas and I’ll be Church…soon!
My daughter is moving to Katy Texas and I will be coming down to visit a certain church nearby….
Oh, thank you this night – it is a very DARK NIGHT here- when I saw that the “PINK” fingernail polish was being discussed- my dark side just turned- those of us called to JESUS can celebrate pink polish- as an “old girl” my bridge games have become times of GRACE- so who knows, we cannot determine HOW JESUS works and under what circumstances- he likes pink polish or it would not be here- I KNOW that- and it makes me happy when NOTHING else is working and my life is devastating beyond anything I could ever imagine Lots of love
As i write this I already know that i missed the 12:00 deadline earlier this afternoon!!:( but as I read this post I just smiled because We just moved from NY to Illinois with four children during the move my husbands job sent him to Marco Island and I was left home to pack and take care of four kiddos 8,6,4,10 months!!!! I just wanted to cry because there was no break!!! We are now here in Illinois and I miss my friends and family like CRAAAZZZY! I am just excited to learn of the beach parfum that i have never heard of until now! THANK YOU FOR SUCH A FUN IDEA TO BLESS SOMEONE IN SUCH A FUN WAY!!:)
I don’t need anything but want to say how precious it is that you had this lovely vacation and then thought of others…gota love that and you. i am sorry you then suffer complications…that hurts a girl big time. Just finished ‘Jame” s love that too. still memorizing, many be year two before I finish, but hey year two is coming anyway… blessings
Halellulia. Was praying for “just the right person” and that is clearly EDIE. Bless you AND your husband and family. SO happy for you. THANK YOU LPM
Congratulations, Edie!!! May the Lord bless and protect both you and your husband as both of you have sacrificed more than we “civilians” can ever know to serve our country. I am excited for you as you anticipate the arrival of your gift basket!!!
Congratulations Edie!!! I was thrilled to read your post and discover you were the winner. Hoping your man will be home soon and you will feel refreshed with this basket!
Thank you for offering this giveaway! No vacations ahead for me, but this package would be a great way to pretend.
Yay, Edie!!! God bless, refresh and restore you! And Lord, please bless and anoint our servicemen-pour Yourself out generously on them! Empower them as You desire!
Congratulations Edie!!! Enjoy your Beach Basket Sister 🙂 I will lift you and your hubby up in prayer.
I am blessed! Thank you so much Melissa and LPM. I prayed last week for encouragement and God has delivered in amazing ways. It’s like He reached right down and said to me, “I got this Edie. I am here.” I am so thankful. My oldest daughter, 15, was here when I received your e-mail and she was blessed to see my joy and tears & we thanked God together for your kindness.
In His goodness,
Edie
Congratulations, Edie! So glad you won this ‘treat’, it really was put together with you I mind! God knew what would brighten your day! You and your family are in my prayers! We’re retired Air Force and our military is our family. Hugs to you all!
Congrats Edie!!!! Thank you for your husband’s and your families sacrifice for our country
Congrats, Edie! God is so good. We will be praying for you! I’m so happy you won. Blessings!!
Who is Professor Thornbury?
I am always a day late and dollar short for contest, although usually that is no big deal because I never win. My husband and I have been unable to take a vacation in 3 years. We have been helping our girls and their families during this tight economic time. Edie definitely deserves a great gift because she is sacrificing the most along with her husband. Hopefully even a day late will get me in your drawing because I definitely need a pick me up. It looks like there will be no vacation or time away again this year. Please pray for us!
Whoa…that a …..big puppy !
I will not be going on a beach getaway or anywhere else this summer for that matter. God has blessed my husband & I with two handsome sons 13 & 11 years olds. On New Years Eve 2011 we found out God had a HUGE surprise in store for us. Well that surprise is our little girl we are expecting to make her appearance around 9-2-12. So do to lack of money and not much energy from this almost 39 year old mom we will be staying home. 🙂
In His goodness, indeed, and overflowing onto you sweet woman of God! SOOOO happy for you (& your 15 y/o daughter who I’m pretty sure will want to borrow some of that COOL stuff)! 😉
Enjoy & thank you for being the co-server of one who serves our country!
Amy
Sorry to hear about the crick in your neck and the bug in your stomach and the chewed up glasses. I recommend reading Bob Goff’s tuxedo story in his book Love Does as the perfect antidote. Had me laughing out loud on a crowded airplane after a night of unexpected weather delays.
Congratulations, Edie!
Thank you again, Melissa, for your thoughtfulness!
Also, I’m wondering if/where I might be able to purchase the colorful bag?
Blessings!
I’m putting my name in your drawing. I love your blog & your Bible studies & I praise God for the powerful ways He uses your ministry!
I sure could use a “vacation” Just a few minutes to myself would be awesome. You guys are the best! Congrats to Edie.
I come here often for rest and peace your words from God give me strength Beth !
Congrats Edie praying for you!
Congratulations Edie, I will be praying for you.
Although i did not submit my name this was fun! I am also
wondering where you found the colorful bag. I am headed to the beach soon,and it looks perfect.