Three Trees

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. 

They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the
first tree said, "Someday, I hope to be a treasure
chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and
precious gems and be decorated with intricate
carvings. Everyone would see my beauty." 

The second tree said, "Someday, I will be a mighty
ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters
and sail to the corners of other world. 

Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength
of my hull." 

Finally, the third tree said, "I want to grow to be
the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People
will see me on top of the hill and look up to my
branches, and think of the heavens and God and how
close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest
tree of all time, and people will always remember me."


After a few years of praying that their dreams would
come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. 
One came to the first tree and said, "This looks like
a strong tree, I think  I should be able to sell the
wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it  down.
The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter
would  make him into a treasure chest. 

At the second tree, one of the other woodsman said,
"This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to
sell it to the shipyard." Then a second tree was
happy, because he knew he was on his way to becoming
mighty ship. 

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree
was frightened, because it knew that, if it was cut
down, its dreams would not come true. One of the
woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my
tree, so I'll take this one," and he cut it down. 

When the first tree arrived at the carpenter's, he was
made into a feed box for animals, placed in a barn and
filled with hay. This was not at all what he had
prayed for. 

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing 
boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying
kings had come to an end. 

The third tree was cut into large pieces and left
alone in the dark. 

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their
dreams. Then one day,  a man and woman came to the
barn. She gave birth, and they placed the baby in the
hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree.
The man wished that he could have made a crib for the
baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could
feel the importance of this event and knew that it
hadheld the greatest treasure of all time. 

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat
made from the second tree. One of them was tired and
went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a
great storm arose, and the tree didn't think it was
strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the
sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace," and the
storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had
carried the King of Kings in its boat. 

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was
carried through the streets, and the crowd mocked the
man who was carrying it. Finally, the man was nailed
to the tree and raised in the air to die at the  top
of a hill. 

When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was
strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be
as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had
been crucified on it. 

========================================
Life Lessons:

When things don't
seem to be going your way, always know that God has a
plan for you. If you place your trust in 

Him, He will give you great gifts.  Each of the trees
got what they 
wanted, 

just not in the way they had  imagined. We don't
always know what God's plans are for us. We just know
that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are
always best.