Once upon a mountaintop there were three little trees that stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up to the stars twinkling like diamonds above. "I want to hold treasure; I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I will be the most beautiful treasure chest in all the world!"

The second tree looked out at the small stream trickling by it's own way to the ocean. "I want to be a strong sailing ship. I want to travel mighty waters and carry powerful kings. I will be the strongest ship in the world!"

The third tree looked into the valley below where busy men and busy women worked. "I don't want to leave this mountain top at all." she said as she looked up to the heavens. "I want to be the tallest tree in the world! When people stop to look at me, they're going to think of God."

Years passed, rains came, and sun shown and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed that mountain. The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful!!! It is perfect for me!" and with a swoop of his ax down came the tree. "Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest box," thought the tree, "I shall hold treasure."

The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong! It is perfect for me." and with a swoop of his ax, the tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters," thought the tree, "I shall be a strong ship for kings."

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall pointing bravely to heaven but the woodcutter didn't even look up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered that and with a swoop of his ax she fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to the carpenter shop but the busy carpenter was not thinking of treasure chests but instead his worked, worn hands fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold or fill with treasure. He was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for 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 one strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. Too small and weak to sail an ocean or even a river was taken to a lake and every day brought in loads of dead smelly fish.

The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in the lumberyard. "What happened?" the once tall tree wondered, "All I ever wanted to do was stay on the mountain top and point to God."

Many, many days and nights passed and the three trees nearly forgot their dreams, but one night golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn babe in that feedbox. "I wish I could make a cradle for him." her husband whispered, and the mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shown on the smooth and sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful!" and then suddenly the first tree realized that he was holding the greatest treasure in all the world.

Many years passed and then 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 and the little tree shuddered. He knew that he did not have the strength to carry many passengers safely through the wind and rain. The tired man awakens, he stood, stretched out his hands, "peace" and the storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. Suddenly the second tree knew that 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 shuttered when the soldiers nailed a man's hands to her. She felt ugly, harsh and cruel, but on Sunday morning when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the first tree beautiful, it had made the second tree strong and everytime people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. And that was better than being the tallest tree in the entire world.

Sometime we have dreams but end up feeling worthless. Never forget that God has a plan and a purpose for you. May you be blessed in seeking Him, learning of Him, knowing Him and discovering your purpose.