Happy Monday, everyone! How was your weekend? Mine was full; how about yours? I know it’s the nature of the season, but I’m hopeful that your weekend included at least one moment of peace, at least one chunk of time for rest or reflection, at least one nap taken or chapter read or mug sipped or movie watched.
Weekends aren’t the only thing that’s full for me right now. My calendar and my blog are full, too. Which means you’ll see a few more posts than normal around here. Lots of those posts will be about Choose Joy, while a few of them will be sponsored posts. But I promise not to slack on the encouragement and helpful information, and – BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE – awesome giveaways!
Today’s post fits two of those categories. It’s a Choose Joy giveaway!
Though many of you are familiar with Sara, my co-author and friend who passed away four years ago, I realize that just as many of you never met her, never read her blog, and never even heard of her before I started going on and on about our book.
So why would you want to read a book that’s largely about her life?
Well, obviously because IT’S AWESOME. But in case my completely biased opinion isn’t compelling enough, I thought I’d also help you get to know Sara a bit better. That’s why I’m giving away a basket of Sara’s favorites.
One reader will be the winner of the following:
Harry Potter movies (all 8 of ’em!)
6 months of Netflix (to watch Friday Night Lights and Alias, of course)
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
The Fringe Hours by Jessica Turner
You’re Going to Be Okay by Holley Gerth
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime by Ree Drummond
Faith in Color (an adult coloring book) and colored pencils
JOY earrings by Lisa Leonard
$10 SONIC gift card
$10 iTunes gift card
$10 Hobby Lobby gift card
What? WOW! You guys?! This is HUGE!! More than a $250 value! And CLEARLY the person who loves those things (like Sara, *cough, cough*) is pretty awesome. Right?!
All right, fine, I’ll stop gushing about my own giveaway and get on to the part where I tell you how you can enter. Easy! Leave a comment, tweet a message, or send us proof that you’ve already ordered the book. (Or all of the above…!)
The giveaway will close at midnight on Sunday, December 13. Winners must live in the U.S.
Crayola crayons and coloring books of the kid variety. So relaxing and fun!
I would have to say my reading chair – a big comfy pillowy chair and a half that I can curl up in and even if I’m reading my grad school course work I still feel joy and contentment :-)
Sara was an amazing woman! Thank you Mary for sharing some of her favorite things.
I really am loving Christmas music and my live (wild!) tree right now.
Right now my son’s excitement for Christmas is bringing me joy!
It may seem odd… but one of my “favourites” that always brings me joy is my kindle… I’m a huge reader so… having easily accesibly books is awesome…
Amazing! That would be so fun to win a basket filled with Sara’s favorite things!
One of my favorite things that is bringing me joy right now is homemade Christmas cookies. Yum. :P
Right now, my “favorite thing” bringing me joy is pretty much reading. It’s a slog – it’s hard – because I just don’t have the time I used to have. But I try to find time, even if it’s only now and then, to spend an hour or so reading. It brings me such peace, even if I just don’t manage to find the time so much anymore.
Spending time with my children :)
Honestly, coffee has really started to bring me joy … I never would have guessed that I would savor a cup each day!
What an amazing tribute to your friend. I am keeping the schedule purposefully light to allow for impromptu movie nights and visits with the cousins.
One of my favorite things to do is look at the Christmas lights in different neighborhoods. It’s been great this year because my 2 year old daughter loves them, too. I so love hearing here say “oh look at the lights” as we drive around!
Bringing me Joy right now is going through all the Christmas boxes and finding all the old ornaments and things my kids (now 25 & 30) made over the years… Time to move things out so we are pulling out all the old boxes this year… Fun times! I bought a wreath and a glowing “Love” sign at Michael’s for 50% off to start out the Holiday Spirit that I need desperately during these days of chronic migraines. Very glad I did as all other decorating is going very slowly but Joy is abounding if you look for it! Thanks Mary!
What great prizes!
Without a doubt its my grand baby! The pure joy in her eyes, man, there are no good words!
I bought a big comfy chair earlier this fall for a reading nook. It brings me a lot of joy to curl up with a good book and my two cats!
Reading.
Spending time with my almost 3 year old foster son is the thing that brings me joy. He loves curling up on my lap and reading books- he’d probably spend all day reading with me! He’s also learning about Christmas and reads his “Baby Jesus” book every night.
Chocolate brings me joy!
My children’s laughter brings be much joy!
I am getting joy from a new book I enjoyed reading.
Looking forward to coming home from a long sales trip to see my wife brings me joy. Thanks for the giveaway. I hope that I win.
Mary, you are an amazing person! Thank you so much for offering such a thoughtful and generous giveaway. One of my favorite things that is currently bringing me joy is seeing everyone’s Christmas decorations. Driving around looking for lights is a holiday tradition. :)
One of my favorite things is my kindle
I love reading these books at Christmas time and especially love the first movie!
My new Amazon Echo is bringing me a ridiculous amount of joy. Christmas music on Pandora just by saying I want it? Adding flour to my shopping list without stopping to wash my hands? Starting a time-out timer with my voice? ALL THINGS YES.
One of my favorite things that bring me joy is old movies especially Gone with the Wind or any Bette Davis movie. Coffee too!
Currently, reading a book at night with the Christmas tree lights on right next to me… it’s a happy place.
reading with my children brings me joy
Classic Christmas movies!!
Having some me time taking a bubblebath.JOY!
Gel Pens bring me lots of joy!:)
I didn’t know about you friend, thank you for sharing her with us and helping her story carry on! My favorite thing right now is our silly little elf on the shelf. My girls are the perfect age to be really excited about it, although they don’t really believe in Santa so I’m pretty sure they get what’s going on…it’s still a bunch of fun.
Cooking for my family and friends gives me a great deal of joy.
Oh goodness so many things! My favorite thing is a good journal and my journaling bible!
Yowza! What an awesome giveaway. I really enjoyed Sara’s book and her perspective on life. So much to learn.
Watching my kiddos get so excited this Christmas season brings me lots of joy as do quiet days at home and finding online shopping bargains. :-)
Because I was so knocked down with chemo, Sara used to always design our Christmas cards, and I’ve finally learned how to do some design work myself! Every time I go to sit in my chemo chair, I have the journal she gave me, full of her ideas, and the things we enjoyed together. Great giveaway- so true to who she was!
Our Nativity set is a favorite of mine this time of year.
Watching my girls get older and enjoying them more and more is my favorite. Sara was a friend of mine too, brings me joy to watch her legacy continue! <3
My kids!
I love music, so right now music is my favorite and it is bringing me a lot of joy.
Reading!! I love books and love reading my own and to my babies.
My Christmas music brings me joy, every day.
I pre-ordered Nov 14th on Amazon for my Kindle. Won’t let me paste the info.
Sara was a JOY to be encouraged by. She loved getting Christmas cards. It gave her a peek of all the friends she had all over the world. She was a warrior for loving relationships. Even if she never physically met you. She rarely complained. I think of her so often!! 4 years. Wow.
Reading <3
What warms my heart when family comes together and relax and talk about their kids and eat a hearty meal and laugh, laugh out loud.
Merry Christmas everyone!!!!
I haven’t read Sara’s and your book yet, but it comes highly recommended by a friend. The giveaway is awesome! God bless you and give you His peace.
All books bring me joy!
Watching my 4 year old get excited for Christmas is bringing me joy!