His love has changed everything
Once upon a mountaintop, three trees dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up.
"I want to hold treasure," the first tree said. "I will be the most beautiful treasure chest in the whole world!" "I want to be a strong sailing ship," the second tree said. "I will be the strongest ship in the world!" "I don't want to leave this mountaintop at all," the third tree said. "I want to grow so tall that when people look at me they will raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world!"
One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. With a swoop of the first man's axe, the first tree fell. With a swish of the second man's axe, the second tree fell. With a slash of the third man's axe, the third tree fell.
The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought him to a carpenter's shop, but the busy carpenter was not thinking about treasure chests. Instead his work-worn hands fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took him to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ships were built that day. Instead the once-strong tree was made into a simple fishing boat. 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 to do was 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 feed box. 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. When a storm arose, the second tree shuddered. But when the traveler stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace," the storm stopped. 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 woodpile. She shivered when she was dragged through an angry crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her. She felt ugly, harsh, and cruel. But on Sunday the morning when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew God's love had changed everything.
It had made the first tree beautiful. It had made the second 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.
______________________________________
Above is my favorite family Christmas book called The Tale of the Three Trees. My parents read it to us every year and I was always fascinated that the Lord could take our dreams and desires and re-shape them into something unexpected, but absolutely beautiful.
That book was one of the first Christmas books I got for the boys' first Christmas last year. Jeremiah picked it up last night before bed and wanted Ryan and I to read it to them. It had been a long day yesterday and I was ready to go to bed when we got home. I really wasn't in the book-reading mood, but we did it anyway.
The tears finally hit. I was a bawling mess by the time we finished! It was one of those divine clarity moments that we collided with head on. Every little detail leading up to this point all makes sense. All that wisdom I prayed for as a little girl, all those built up dreams I had have been re-shaped into something I didn't expect. Did I mention that I love that book?
We felt dead in the water in our relationships and in our marriage until all of this went underway. I begged for God to move us, to grow us, to give us answers. It took Ryan's life temporarily ending get things to a boiling point, to help us understand. Now here we are, one GIANT step forward. There is no one to accuse or blame for now we see, for the millionth time, we don't have control. The impurities are to the surface and He's continuing to build a firmer foundation. God's love has changed EVERYTHING!
We didn't choose anger or resentment towards our circumstances, as easy as that could have been. God's love has changed EVERYTHING! At the beginning and end of every day, at the beginning and end of every difficult conversation, we find ourselves profusely thankful and recalling sightings of His goodness. We aren't clinging or storing our faith in the outcome of what we want and hope for. We are putting our faith in the unknown outcome God has waiting for us. It's the hardest thing we've ever had to do and have never known how to do until now, but we have entrusted each others lives to the hands of our Almighty. For His love has changed our day to day lives.
Today is the day all of the grief hit. But, God, thank you for the precious gift of your Son. Thank you for this time of celebration and giving. Thank you for close family and friends that are walking with us. Thank you that you are The Masterful Artist and The Author. Thank you that your gift of love is changing everything.Merry Christmas!
"I want to hold treasure," the first tree said. "I will be the most beautiful treasure chest in the whole world!" "I want to be a strong sailing ship," the second tree said. "I will be the strongest ship in the world!" "I don't want to leave this mountaintop at all," the third tree said. "I want to grow so tall that when people look at me they will raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world!"
One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. With a swoop of the first man's axe, the first tree fell. With a swish of the second man's axe, the second tree fell. With a slash of the third man's axe, the third tree fell.
The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought him to a carpenter's shop, but the busy carpenter was not thinking about treasure chests. Instead his work-worn hands fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took him to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ships were built that day. Instead the once-strong tree was made into a simple fishing boat. 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 to do was 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 feed box. 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. When a storm arose, the second tree shuddered. But when the traveler stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace," the storm stopped. 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 woodpile. She shivered when she was dragged through an angry crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her. She felt ugly, harsh, and cruel. But on Sunday the morning when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew God's love had changed everything.
It had made the first tree beautiful. It had made the second 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.
______________________________________
Above is my favorite family Christmas book called The Tale of the Three Trees. My parents read it to us every year and I was always fascinated that the Lord could take our dreams and desires and re-shape them into something unexpected, but absolutely beautiful.
That book was one of the first Christmas books I got for the boys' first Christmas last year. Jeremiah picked it up last night before bed and wanted Ryan and I to read it to them. It had been a long day yesterday and I was ready to go to bed when we got home. I really wasn't in the book-reading mood, but we did it anyway.
The tears finally hit. I was a bawling mess by the time we finished! It was one of those divine clarity moments that we collided with head on. Every little detail leading up to this point all makes sense. All that wisdom I prayed for as a little girl, all those built up dreams I had have been re-shaped into something I didn't expect. Did I mention that I love that book?
We felt dead in the water in our relationships and in our marriage until all of this went underway. I begged for God to move us, to grow us, to give us answers. It took Ryan's life temporarily ending get things to a boiling point, to help us understand. Now here we are, one GIANT step forward. There is no one to accuse or blame for now we see, for the millionth time, we don't have control. The impurities are to the surface and He's continuing to build a firmer foundation. God's love has changed EVERYTHING!
We didn't choose anger or resentment towards our circumstances, as easy as that could have been. God's love has changed EVERYTHING! At the beginning and end of every day, at the beginning and end of every difficult conversation, we find ourselves profusely thankful and recalling sightings of His goodness. We aren't clinging or storing our faith in the outcome of what we want and hope for. We are putting our faith in the unknown outcome God has waiting for us. It's the hardest thing we've ever had to do and have never known how to do until now, but we have entrusted each others lives to the hands of our Almighty. For His love has changed our day to day lives.
Today is the day all of the grief hit. But, God, thank you for the precious gift of your Son. Thank you for this time of celebration and giving. Thank you for close family and friends that are walking with us. Thank you that you are The Masterful Artist and The Author. Thank you that your gift of love is changing everything.Merry Christmas!
A family moment at my baby brother's wedding
Copyright 2013 ->Renee Sunberg
Copyright 2013 ->Renee Sunberg
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