This will be a different Christmas. How will you inspire delight in this Christmas season in the middle of the unexpected?
Photo by fotografierende from Pexels

Well, Thanksgiving is officially behind us, and we are quickly heading into our Christmas season. We still have no idea precisely what that will look like with this pandemic. No doubt it will be a different Christmas from those in the past. How will you inspire delight in this Christmas season in the middle of the unexpected?

I am a big believer that before moving forward; it is always a good idea to take a quick look at the past, plan loosely for the future, and remind ourselves to live in the present moment. Do you do this? It might help to make your Christmas the best it can be.

It is wise to take a quick look at the past, plan loosely for the future, and remind ourselves to live in the present moment. #Christmas Share on X

Looking to the Past

Since we recently wrapped up Thanksgiving – let’s hear what worked over the holiday. How did you connect with those who were not present? Did you take the time to embrace the sadness with the blessings? What would you have avoided? Please share; we can all learn from each other.

Inspire Delight in This Christmas

As many of you know, I am a huge planner. However, the unexpected seems to wreak havoc on the best-laid plans. However, we can still make plans and be flexible when life changes. In addition, it isn’t a bad idea to make a few contingency arrangements.

Living in the Moment

The best idea is to learn to live in the moment. It is all we have promised.

“If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. However, the wisest thing you can do is to be present in the present. Gratefully.”

—Maya Angelou

Featured Post

Ashley Rowland wrote a fantastic post giving us four simple tips to enjoy our upcoming holiday. Her ideas are sure to inspire delight in this Christmas season. Number two is one I plan to add to the festivities. How about you? 

Now for our Featured Post

4 SIMPLE TIPS TO ENJOY THE MOMENT THIS CHRISTMAS

By Ashley Rowland

Click here to read.

Our featured post today, on Grace & Truth Link-Up, is written by Ashley Rowland – “4 Simple Tips to Enjoy the Moment This Christmas.” #graceandtruth #featuredpost Share on X

We would love to hear your ideas on how you will find delight in this Christmas season.


Let’s bless and encourage one another.

Grace & Truth : A Weekly Christian Link Up

Grace & Truth exists to point people to Jesus! We hope this link-up will be a source of encouragement every week. If you’re a blogger, we hope you’ll use this space to meet new friends within the Christian blogging community. If you’re a reader, we hope that you’ll encounter new bloggers that love Jesus as much as you do! Most of all, we hope you’ll meet Jesus here.


To receive a weekly reminder of when the link-up goes live, subscribe to Maree Dee | Embracing the Unexpected by clicking here.


Grace & Truth Hosts

Maree Dee – Embracing the Unexpected
BLOG | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TWITTER

Heather Hart & Valerie Riese – Real Women. Real Life. Real Faith.
BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM

Lauren Sparks
BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM

Lisa Burgess
BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM


  1. Following your hosts via their blog and social media channels is not mandatory, but appreciated!

  2. Leave 1-2 of your most recent Christian Living posts. Please do not link DIY, Crafts, Recipes, etc. We will delete these links. We also reserve the right to remove articles that don’t align with the theme or are deemed by the hostesses to be inappropriate.

  3. Visit 1-2 other links and leave a meaningful comment! We want to encourage community among us, so please don’t link and run!

  4. We sort all links randomly – feel free to link as early or as late as you’d like. The playing field is even!

Featured Post Requirements

    1. Please grab a button and link it back to one of our hosts to encourage new linkers. It is not mandatory to participate but is required to be featured.

    2. Each host will choose one blog post to emphasize and promote via their social media channels each week.

      Grace & Truth Badge

      You can display the Grace & Truth badge on your blog’s sidebar, at the bottom of your post, or on a “link-ups” page.

      This will be a different Christmas. How will you inspire delight in this Christmas season in the middle of the unexpected?

      Congratulations, and thank you for linking up with Grace & Truth. Here is a graphic you can save and display on your website so your readers can celebrate with you! Grab a badge and link back to this post.

      This will be a different Christmas. How will you inspire delight in this Christmas season in the middle of the unexpected?
      Join us for the Grace & Truth Christian Link-Up. #graceandtruth #bloglinkup #christianbloggers Share on X

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter



Intentional Christmas Love

Join us as we embrace #IntentionalChristmasLove every Wednesday during December.

We would love to have you join our community.

Embracing the Unexpected | Maree Dee

Subscribe today and never miss a post!


We would love to hear your thoughts.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

11 Comments

  1. Our Thanksgiving was actually relaxing. I made pies (my contribution to the meal) on Wednesday, we did our traditional Thanksgiving morning breakfast—just the four of us—and later on Thanksgiving day, we drove to meet at my sister’s house. It was a much smaller gathering than usual. We are traveling to see family this year, and we’re not sure how it’s going to turn out. Hubs’ mom isn’t doing well, so . . . this trip is important to us. We’ll have to see how things go where she lives. And, we’re staying in a hotel rather than with her. I’m sure Christmas will be simplified in every way this year.

    1. Your Thanksgiving sounded perfect. I am sorry to hear your husband’s mom isn’t doing well. Prayers, you can go and see her and that everyone stays healthy. We have spent a few Christmas’s in a hotel. I was pleasantly surprised at the blessings of a simple Christmas and time together. Thank you for stopping by.

  2. Our oldest is planning to be here Christmas, unless firmer lockdowns don’t allow travel between our states by that time. It would be so sad if he couldn’t come–it would be the first Christmas he wouldn’t be here. Plus he lives alone, and I get concerned about the long term effects of that with such limited contact with others. But in the back of my mind I’m trying to come up with contingency plans to make it special.

    1. Barbara,
      I am praying your oldest can come home for Christmas. I would love to hear your contingency plan. It sure looks like this Christmas will be different for most.
      Blessings,

      Maree