Conference yukon::christian

55.0. "Easter (The Three Trees)" by YUKON::GLENN () Fri Mar 14 1997 10:44

    
    
    I got this mailing from Dave Barndt.  Thought I would post it.  
    
    Caution alert, may cause some to get misty eyes (speaking from
    	experience).
    
    
  
                              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 woodcutters climbed the mountain.
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
             The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This
    tree is beautiful.  It is perfect for me."  With a swoop of his shining
    axe, the first tree fell.
  
            "Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I shall hold
    wonderful treasure!"  The first tree said.
  
            The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This
    tree is strong.  It is perfect for me."  With a swoop of his shining
    axe, 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 woodcutter
    looked her way.  She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to
    heaven.
  
             But the woodcutter never even looked up.  "Any kind of tree will
    do for me."  He muttered.  With a swoop of his shining axe, the third
    tree fell.
  
            The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a
    carpenter's shop.  But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox
    for animals.
  
            The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, with
    treasure.  She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for
    hungry farm animals.
  
            The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a
    shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day.  Instead the
    once strong tree was hammered and sawed 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 woodcutter 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 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 feedbox.
  
            "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 the 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 thrashing storm arose. The little tree
    shuddered.  She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many
    passengers safely through with the wind and the rain.
  
            The tired man awakened.  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 woodpile.  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 strong.
  
            And every time people thought of the third tree, they would
    think of God.
  
           That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.
 
     
>  Please forward this all all the people you know.......
  
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