CHRISTIAN SENSE
A publication devoted to making sense out of the twenty-first century.
TREES
By: AUTHOR UNKNOWN (if anyone knows the source please let us know.)
(Many times we pray and
then get upset when our prayers aren't answered.
Here is a nice little story I received via email.
Please do as the story says and pass it on to your friends)
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.
Then 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.
Please keep this moving...pass it on, so He may
inspire more people on the way.
May your day be blessed. May your road rise to meet
you May the wind always be at your back May the sun
shine warmly upon your face May the rain fall softly
up on all that you plant And until we meet again, May
God cradle you in the palm of His hand.
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