Seasons of Advent: what if?

Advent is a time of expectant promise leading to the hope of something better. At its core, it is buoyant and uplifting, something that fills the voids that we, integral participants of the human race, often bring upon ourselves. At its least desirable are “if only” moments lived from positions of regret and remorse, times when nothing seems to go our way. Good deeds remain unrewarded and problems compound rather than rectify. Even the neighbor’s Christmas tree shines more beautifully than ours.

In contrast are “what if” moments that might be interpreted from both positive and negative positio...