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 treasures
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 stongest 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 mountains. 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 ax, the first tree fell. "Now I shall be made into
a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasures!" 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 ax,
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 at 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 ax,
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 feed box 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 river,
instead she was taken to a little lake. The third tree was
confused when the woodcutter cut her into a strong beam 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 nights 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 feed box. "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 friend 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 strengh 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 was 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
trembled 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 you
This gift was given to me by a beautiful Lady my friend "Fawna" Thank You!!
I want to thank everyone who enjoyed this site and nominated me for this special award for the site "I BE YOUR LEGS". I accept it with honors!
