> > > A message in the 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 a 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. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > . > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one Place. > http://shopping.yahoo.com/ >