Trees

Once upon a mountaintop, 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.
The first tree said. "Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest,
I shall hold wonderful treasure!"

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 sawdust
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 beams 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 you
~Anonymous~

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