The
Three Trees
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 wood cutters climbed the mountain. The first wood cutter 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 make a
beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!" the first tree said.
The
second wood cutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is
strong. It's 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 wood cutter looked her way. She
stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the wood cutter
never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered.
With a swoop of his shining ax, the third tree fell.
The
first tree rejoiced when the wood cutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But
the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once
beautiful tree was not covered with gold, or treasure. She was coated with saw
dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. The second tree smiled when
the wood cutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made
that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and awed 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 wood cutter 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
days and nights 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 feed box. "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 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 a thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew
she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the
wind and the rain. The tired man awoke. 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 wood pile. 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 feel strong. And every time people
thought of the third tree, they would think of God’s love for them. THAT even was
better than being the tallest tree in the world.
Paper: White and light blue stamped with snowflakes cardstock paper.
Stamp: Merry Christmas (Stampabillities)
Ink: Red
Embellishment: pine trees die-cut, glitter (Winter Wonderland), colored pencil (for snowy ground)
Thank you for stopping by. Blessings unto you.
Vanias Reed
