Just in case you are drawing- or doodle-phobic, here are some examples of ways to fill in your Advent calendar template. Below is the template/poster I designed for Forward Movement and #AdventWord. To read more about that partnership look at my November 9th Post. The calendar shows a new word for each day of Advent. The first word is the word Tender on November 29.

On the calendar below are six possible ways I might illuminate the word Tender. This is not great art; some of it is even messy. One version has no color, just a black pen. One version is just a mini-brainstorm on the word. The point of writing the word and drawing around it is to keep it front and center in my mind, eyes, and heart for the whole day. What does this word mean to me? What might I need to hear from it? How does Scripture enlighten me? What might God be saying to me through this word today? Maybe I could “try a little tenderness” more often as Otis Redding wrote in his 1966 song of the same title. Tenderness is not my go-to relational skill. It needs to be honed. Honesty and directness tend to supersede tenderness and kindness. Maybe this is a reminder. Tender also makes me thinks of steaks and greens and shoots and shepherds and babies. What else do I need to hear?

This template is still available along with a devotional/reflections book from Forward Movement. There is still time to order it before the first Sunday of Advent. Here are the links.
Booklet

Calendar

My free Advent calendars templates are available on my Handouts Page and on my November 6th Post.