Quote from Forum Archives on June 3, 2005, 6:43 pm

Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>

"THREE 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 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, 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.

 

 

26 Beautiful One-liners

 

 

1. Give God what's right -- not what's left.

 

2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end -- God's way leads to an 

 

    endless hope.

 

3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.

 

4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.

 

5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma--but never let him

 

     be the period.

 

6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.

 

7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.

 

8. When praying, don't give God instructions - just report for duty.

 

9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.

 

10. We don't change God's message -- His message changes us.

 

11. The church is prayer-conditioned.

 

12. When God ordains, He sustains.

 

13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.

 

14. Plan ahead -- It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

 

15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.

 

16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.

 

17. Exercise daily -- walk with the Lord.

 

18. Never give the devil a ride -- he will always want to drive.

 

19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.

 

20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.

 

21. He who angers you controls you.

 

22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.

 

23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.

 

24. Be ye fishers of men -- you catch them & He'll clean them.

 

25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

 

26. Read the Bible -- It will scare the hell out of you.

 

 

Have a Blessed day

Dave and Barbara

 

 

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