> 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. 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, 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.
>