Once upon a mountain top, 
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 ax, the first tree fell. 
"Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, 
I shall hold wonderful treasure!" 
The first tree said.

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 ax, 
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 is shining ax, 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 saw dust 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 
trembled 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.

The next time you feel down because you didn't get what you want, 
sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.