The Three Trees

 
        Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood 
and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew 
up.
 
         The first little tree looked up at the stars and 
said: "I want
 to hold treasure.  I want  to be covered with gold and 
filled with precious stones.  I'll be the most beautiful 
treasure chest in the world!"
 
         The second little tree looked out at the small 
stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean.  "I want to 
be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings.  
I'll be the strongest ship in the world!"
 
         The third little tree looked down into the valley 
below where busy men and women worked in a busy town.  "I 
don't want to leave the mountain top at all.  I want to 
grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they'll 
raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be 
the tallest tree in the world."
 
         Years passed.  The rain came, the sun shone, and 
the little trees grew tall.  One day three woodcutters 
climbed the mountain.
 
        The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and 
said, "This tree is beautiful.  It is perfect for me."  
With a swoop of his shining axe, the first tree fell.
 
         "Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I 
shall hold wonderful treasure!"  The first tree said.
 
         The second woodcutter looked at the second tree 
and said, "This tree is strong.  It is perfect for me."  
With a swoop of his shining axe, the second tree fell.
 
         "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the 
second tree.  "I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"
 
         The third tree felt her heart sink when the last 
woodcutter looked her way.  She stood straight and tall 
and pointed bravely to heaven.
 
         But the woodcutter never even looked up.  "Any 
kind of tree will do for me."  He muttered.  With a swoop 
of his shining axe, the third tree fell.
 
         The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter 
brought her to a carpenter's shop.  But the carpenter 
fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals.
 
         The once beautiful tree was not covered with 
gold, nor with treasure.  She was coated with saw dust 
and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.
 
         The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took 
her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made 
that day.  Instead the once strong tree was hammered and 
sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and 
too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river; instead 
she was taken to a little lake.
 
         The third tree was confused when the woodcutter 
cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard.
 
         "What happened?"  The once tall tree wondered.  
"All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and 
point to God..."
 
         Many many days and night passed.  The three 
trees nearly forgot their dreams.
 
         But one night, golden starlight poured over the 
first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in 
the feedbox.
 
         "I wish I could make a cradle for him." her 
husband whispered
 
         The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the 
starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood.  "This 
manger is beautiful." she said.
 
         And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding 
the greatest treasure in the world.
 
         One evening a tired traveler and his friends 
crowded into the old fishing boat.  The traveler fell 
asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the 
lake.
 
         Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The 
little tree shuddered.  She knew she did not have the 
strength to carry so many passengers safely through with 
the wind and the rain.
 
         The tired man awakened.  He stood up, stretched 
out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as 
quickly as it had begun.
 
         And suddenly the second tree knew he was 
carrying the king of heaven and earth.
 
         One Friday morning, the third tree was startled 
when her beam were yanked from the forgotten woodpile.  
She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering 
crowd.  She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands 
to her.
 
         She felt ugly and harsh and cruel.
 
         But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the 
earth tremble with joy beneath her, the third tree knew 
that God's love had changed everything.
 
         It had made the third tree strong.
 
         And every time people thought of the third tree, 
they would think of God.
 
         That was better than being the tallest tree in 
the world.
 
 So next time you feel down because you didn't get what 
you want, just sit tight and be happy because God is 
thinking of something better to give 
 
 
      - Anonymous