Karenluvs6
11-10-2000, 11:38 AM
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. I could be decorated
with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then 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 the 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. When one
came to the first tree he 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 the woodsman said, "This looks like a
strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard."
The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was
frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his
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 carpenters, he was
made into a feed box for animals. He was then 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 had held 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 as the people mocked the man
who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, 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.
The moral of this story is that 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
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. I could be decorated
with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then 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 the 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. When one
came to the first tree he 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 the woodsman said, "This looks like a
strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard."
The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was
frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his
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 carpenters, he was
made into a feed box for animals. He was then 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 had held 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 as the people mocked the man
who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, 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.
The moral of this story is that 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