Three Trees

[divemaster5734]

There were a couple off topic posts that took nasty turns in the last few days.

We are all stressed out waiting for whatever is going to happen, happen, just to put an end to this crazy ride, one way or another.

Most of us that are lucky enough to still be working are earning less than we did just a few short years ago.

One of my friends sent this to me. For sure, the path that our life is forced to take is not always the way we planned or dreamed.

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, 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.

May your day be blessed. And until we meet again, may God cradle you in the palm of His hand.

[Theflyingbird]

Thanks for sharing.

[Mrs Lady G]

Awesome, thank you so much for sharing!!! That was a very uplifting message, for any situation that someone may be dealing with. I am so happy I know who holds my future because RV or not I am still in good hands!!!!!

[Francie26]

Thank you for sharing this lovely story. It will inspire me to remember as we continue our shared journey that there are many of us, and that each of us has his or her own needs, wants, and desires. This dinar investment means something different for each of us, and since I may never know the personal struggles being endured by someone else as I speak my own truth, I will try harder to speak it more kindly and gently.

Thank you, divemaster, for this reminder. It is good to remember . . .

[crnamiss]

thanks for the reminder DM

[Sann]

Hi, I have been lurking on this site for months and have never responded to anything. I passed over your message a couple of times. Just now, I decided to read it. I am now in tears because right before reading it I was thinking about my old ream of being a writer and the three books under my belt with no way of publishing them financially. I'm not young anymore and I'm not in the best of health and I'm tired. I guess I've given up of ever accomplishing a dream I've had since I was eleven years old. When I read this article, I began to tear up, and I felt it in my spirit. Thank you so much for sharing it. It gave me hope that even when we think it's over, it can just be beginning with God. Thanks so much.

[Russell M]

Excellent analogy. God is Good. God is Love. All God's Plans are excellent even when we cannot understand it all.

Genesis2:7 And the Lord God formed man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the Breath of Life and the man became a living being...

Genesis1:26 And God said Let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them have dominion over...

Genesis1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them...

Genesis1:28 And God Blessed them...

Genesis1:31 And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was VERY GOOD. It was the 6th day.

[delta22]

Dive,Thank you brother. A most excellent post and to the point . I have never stoped dreaming but have felt discouraged at times so thanks again for reminding me whats important.

[usndiver]

divemaster, I've read this one before and it always reminds of what a great God we serve. I want to add something to this thread to share with any skeptics that be reading this thread. This is a small analogy that I share with high school students who are "seekers", but this applies to all of us, believer and non-believer.

This is what I tell them: Close your eyes, and think of the person you love the most in this world, a person you would do anything, including die for. Now I want you to think of the person you despise the most, maybe even hate. Now take the first person, the one you love with all your heart, and imagine placing him or her on the cross for the person you despise. That's what God did for you and me, and all because He desires a relationship with us. He gave his best when we are at our worse.

Blessings