God, John, and the Standard Christmas Village

Things in life have never quite gone John's way. He gets along, day by day, living in the town of Standard. He works as a maintenance man for Saint Rita's Catholic Church, where he tends to the floors and the grounds - and learns of the many difficulties the parishioners face in their own lives.

John also secretly spends his evenings working on the Standard Christmas Village, a well-loved model of the town and its inhabitants, put on display in the Church rec hall each year for the holidays. The well-crafted village stands in contrast to its namesake town with its troubles.

A few days before Christmas, in frustration, John calls out to God, asking why He simply doesn't fix things for everyone.

A Messenger named Colson is sent down to share that John will have dominion over the town of Standard (with some limits). What he does with the Christmas village will affect the town, itself. Over the course of three days, with Colson as a mentor, John attempts to improve the lives of the citizens of Standard. What he learns will change his life, instead.