THREE TREES ON A HILL

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
 caring 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 up 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 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 downs. 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 a
 shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew
 he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsman 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 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 a woman came to the
 barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the
 hay in the feed box that was made for 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
 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
 best. "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3

--- Author Unknown