Thursday, November 18, 2010

ever grateful {giveaway}

we came home one rainy afternoon and as i ushered the kids inside under my hot pink umbrella, i noticed out of the corner of my eye wet, torn up cardboard in the grass between our house and our neighbors. it was windy and raining, and trash day, so i automatically thought someone else's garbage had blown over there. i made a mental note to pick it up when the rain stopped.

later that afternoon i went out to the side of the house to assess the mess. when i rounded the corner of our house, i couldn't believe my eyes. it wasn't just a few pieces of cardboard that had flown over from someone's recycle bin. it was 3 big cardboard boxes, torn and tattered, all of the packing materials, and the box's contents, wet and strewn about on the small lawn between the two houses. what in the world? i gathered everything and tried to make sense of it. large cardboard boxes, big blocks of Styrofoam, big bubble wrap...emptied, torn up, wet, on the side of my house. the boxes had been ripped into and dumped, all right there on the side of my house.

was this caused by the rain? was it a FexEx mishap? i couldn't make any sense of it.

once inside, i realized the box was from DaySpring. miraculously, the beautiful {breakable} gifts from DaySpring were not damaged. judging the condition the boxes were in, it was truly a miracle.


among the cardboard mess was this gorgeous 10" pitcher. inscribed with the reminder, "thankful for simple graces," it weathered the storm and remained perfectly intact.


that evening, DaddyHall and i discussed.
me: it couldn't have been the rain and wind. the boxes were opened.
him: should we report it to FexEx?
me: what would be the point of that? the contents weren't damaged or stolen.
him: and it might get someone in trouble.
me: we don't want to do that.
him: no.
me: do you think it was some up-to-no-good kids?
him: maybe? and then when they saw what was inside they weren't interested?
me: or maybe it started raining and interrupted their plan. maybe they were going to destroy it all.
him: or maybe they figured they couldn't sell it or pawn it.
me: or maybe the dogs started barking and scared them off.
him: or maybe.... they opened it, read the scripture, and it changed their life.
me: yes. that's what happened. yes.

i want to give a gift that could change someone's life. i want someone to be ever grateful for simple graces. i want someone to see beautiful things in the wreckage. i want someone to have the strength to weather life's storms.

i am giving away this beautiful pitcher from DaySpring. 
and i pray that it (in)courages you.


many simple ways to enter to win this fabulous giveaway:
*Shop the DaySpring Ever Grateful collection and tell me what you like {in a comment} - 1 entry
*Follow MamaHall: Making the Most of It by clicking the FOLLOW button on the sidebar - 1 entry {leave a comment to let me know you're following}
*Follow DaySpring and (in)courage on Twitter - 1 entry each {leave a comment with your @}
*Grab the MamaHall button and put it on your blog sidebar for the duration of this giveaway -1 entry {leave a comment with your link}

1 winner will be selected randomly on Thanksgiving Day, 11/25/2010. US residents only, please.
thank you!

i love the DaySpring Ever Grateful line! so i linked this with love at TheDiaperDiaries.net's Things I Love Thursday.
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Disclosure: this is not a paid post. DaySpring gave me this pitcher at The Relevant Conference to review and give away to one of my dear readers. value of the pitcher is $28.99 plus shipping. 
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