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 on 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 feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, nor 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 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 days and night 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 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, be still." 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 beam was 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.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, stay faithful and 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 that His ways are always best.

Be encouraged and know that putting your dreams in God's hands and asking His will to be fulfilled through your life will always bring forth great results and a life completely fulfilled.

从前在一个山上，有三棵小树，它们都在梦想将来长大后它们会做甚麽。

第一棵小树仰眼看著天空说：「我要存放宝物，有金银有珠宝，我想成为世界上最美丽的箱子！」

第三棵小树看到山谷中男男女女在镇中过著忙碌的生活，便说：「我不要离开我的家乡，我要长得又高又大，当人停下来看我，他们举目的时候就会看到天，然后想到上帝，我想成为世界上最高的树！」

过了一些日子，雨天晴天都来了，小树慢慢长大了，有一天三个伐木工人到了山上。

第一个伐木工人看见第一棵树就说：「这棵树真美丽，它很适合我用。」手起斧落第一棵树就被砍下来。

第一棵树这样想：「我很快就会被造成一个美丽的箱子，用来装载金银珠宝！」

第二个伐木工人看见第二棵树就说：「这棵树真强壮，它很适合我用。」手起斧落第二棵树就被砍下来。

第二棵树这样想：「我很快就会被造成一艘坚固的帆船，载著英雄人物跨海越洋！」

当第三个伐木工人望向第三棵树的时候，它虽然感觉害怕，但也抬起头来，勇敢地朝天而望。伐木工人却一点儿也没有望上天，他低声地说：「任何树对我来说也是合适的。」手起斧落第三棵树就被砍下来。

当第一棵树到了第一个伐木工人的工场时，它是异常高兴的。但经过加工后它就变成了一个用来喂养动物的箱子，这棵曾经很美丽的树现在不是装载金银珠宝，却盖上木碎尘埃和供喂养动物的乾草。

当第二棵树到了第二个伐木工人的船坞时，它脸上充满笑容。但是那一天完结时见不到一艘坚固的帆船，却见到一艘简单的小鱼船。它太小和太薄弱了，不适合放到大海或河流，所有最后到了一个小湖。

过了一段时间，这三棵树差不多已经忘掉它们的梦想。但有一个晚上，当一个少女将她的婴儿放进这个喂养动物的箱子，金黄色的星光就照耀著第一棵树。她的丈夫低声说：「我真希望可以给他一个摇篮。」

做母亲的紧握他的手，在星光照耀下向他微笑，说著：「这个马槽很美丽。」在一霎那间第一棵树明白到它正拥抱著全世界最宝贵的礼物。

一个晚上，一个旅客和他的同伴都挤入一条小鱼船，当鱼船扬帆行驶到湖的中央时，所有人都睡著了。突然天气变坏，又打雷，又大风。

这个旅客被弄醒。他站起来，伸出双手，说：「住了吧，静了吧。」暴风雨就停了。在一霎那间第二棵树明白到它正载著天上和地上之王。

但到了星期天，当太阳升起及大地充满喜乐时，第三棵树明白到上帝的爱已经改变一切。第三棵树变得刚强，每当人想起第三棵树，他们就会想起上帝。

此故事教训我们当事情不如意的时候，要继续信靠上帝及相信他在你身上有一个计划。如果你相信他，他会给你宝贵的礼物。

我鼓励你将你的梦想放在上帝的手里，然后求他的旨意成就在你的生命。这样，结果可以是最好的，你的生命也可以因此变得丰盛。