3 trees

I just want to post and share this story that was forwarded to me.
This story inspires me and picks me when im feeling down and helpless.


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, God 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.