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 wood cutters climbed the mountain. The first wood
cutter 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 make a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful
treasure!" the first tree said.
The second wood cutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree
is strong. It's 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 wood cutter looked
her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven.
But the wood cutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do
for me." He muttered. With a swoop of his shining ax, the third tree fell.
The first tree rejoiced when the wood cutter 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,
or treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for
hungry farm animals. The second tree smiled when the wood cutter took
her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day.
Instead the once strong tree was hammered and awed 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 wood cutter 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 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
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 a thrashing storm
arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the
strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the
rain. The tired man awoke. 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 beams were
yanked from the forgotten wood pile. She flinched as she was carried
through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a
man's hand 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.
The next time you feel down because you didn't get what you wanted,
sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.
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