Three Trees:God is thinking of something better

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 its heart sink when the last woodcutter looked its way.
It 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 it 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. It was
coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.

The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took it 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. It was too small and too weak
to sail to an ocean, or even a river; instead it was taken to a little lake.


The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut it into strong beams and
left it 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 it 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. It knew it 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. Suddenly the second tree knew it was carrying the king of
heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when its beams were yanked
from the forgotten woodpile. It flinched as it was carried through an angry
jeering crowd. It shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her. It
felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and
the earth tremble with joy beneath it, 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*.