Do not miss any line from this.Sometimes we get what we need and not what we want... 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 and be decorated with intricate carvings. Everyone would see my beauty. The second tree said, Someday, I would be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of other world. Everyonewill 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 tothem I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all times, 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. One came to the first tree and 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 atreasure chest. At the second tree, one of the other woodsmen 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 it knew that, if it were cut down, its dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, I don't need anything special from tree, so I'll take this one, and he cut it down When the first tree arrived at the carpenter, he was! Made into a feed box for animals, 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 andcarrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into largepieces and left alone in the dark.Then 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 laid 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. 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! '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 and the crowd mocked the man who was carrying it. Finally 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. Sometimes the heart sees what the eyes can't. Keep it moving...pass it on, so it could inspire more people. Cheers
Saturday, November 13, 2004
The Necklace
The cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them; a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.
"Oh mommy, please mommy. Can I have them ? Please mommy, please ?" Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl’s upturned face.
"A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost $2.00. If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in ! No time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday is only week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma." As soon as Jenny got home; she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner; she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday her Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up.
She wore them everywhere; Sunday school; kindergarten; even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet; they might turn her neck green. Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed; he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny;
"Do you love me ?"
"Oh yes daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh daddy not my pearls. But you can have Princess; the white horse from my collection; the one with pink tail. Remember daddy ? The one you gave me. She’s my very favorite."
"That’s okay; Honey; daddy loves you. Good night."
And he brushed her cheek with a kiss. About a week later; after the story time, Jenny’s daddy asked again; "Do you love me ?"
"Daddy; you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh Daddy not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That’s okay. Sleep well. God bless you little one. Daddy loves you."
And as always; he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed. As he came close he noticed her chin was trebling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.
"What is it Jenny ? What’s the matter ?"
Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver she finally said; "Here daddy this is for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes Jenny’s daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace; and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure.
So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasures.
Are you holding onto things that God wants you to let go off ? Are you holding on to harmful or unnecessary relationships; habits and activities that you have come so attached to that it seems impossible to let go ? Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one thing ..... God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place.
"Oh mommy, please mommy. Can I have them ? Please mommy, please ?" Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl’s upturned face.
"A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost $2.00. If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in ! No time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday is only week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma." As soon as Jenny got home; she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner; she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday her Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up.
She wore them everywhere; Sunday school; kindergarten; even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet; they might turn her neck green. Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed; he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny;
"Do you love me ?"
"Oh yes daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh daddy not my pearls. But you can have Princess; the white horse from my collection; the one with pink tail. Remember daddy ? The one you gave me. She’s my very favorite."
"That’s okay; Honey; daddy loves you. Good night."
And he brushed her cheek with a kiss. About a week later; after the story time, Jenny’s daddy asked again; "Do you love me ?"
"Daddy; you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh Daddy not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That’s okay. Sleep well. God bless you little one. Daddy loves you."
And as always; he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed. As he came close he noticed her chin was trebling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.
"What is it Jenny ? What’s the matter ?"
Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver she finally said; "Here daddy this is for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes Jenny’s daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace; and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure.
So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasures.
Are you holding onto things that God wants you to let go off ? Are you holding on to harmful or unnecessary relationships; habits and activities that you have come so attached to that it seems impossible to let go ? Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one thing ..... God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place.
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