The Tale of Three Trees

Today, a friend and co-worker turned me on to a lovely children's book so I, in turn, am passing it on to you.  It's called The Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale retold by Angela Ellwell Hunt.  Beautifully told and illustrated this book would be a great addition to your family library.  I loved it so much I ran right out and bought it for our four children.

It's the story of three little trees, high atop a mountain, who share their dreams for what they will grow up to become.  While their plans for themselves don't turn out exactly as they imagined, in the end, each of the trees plays an important role in the life of Jesus. 

One tree becomes the manger, another becomes the boat Jesus is in when he calms the storm, and the third becomes the cross.

Reading this story made me think of my own four little ones and how I wonder what they will become.  I try to instill in them a real sense that God has a beautiful plan for their lives.  I encourage them to grow and explore and wonder and dream.  I know that like the three trees in the story, they are important to Jesus. 

I also know that even as adults, we are still "little trees" in God's eyes.  We may have deeper roots and sometimes, when the winds of life blow, we have a tendancy to snap instead of bend.  Still, God planted us and it's God who nurtures us in the fertile soil of his Son.

Now that I think about it, I'm kind of a tree hugger.  I can think of several tree-themed stories that I love.  Who doesn't like the book, The Giving Tree?  Another favorite of mine is called Trees Make the Best Mobiles: Simple Ways to Raise Your Child in a Complex World. 

I remember climbing trees as a kid, carving my initials in a tree as a young girl, discovering our favorite tree in town - the "elephant tree" - while we were on a family walk a few summers ago, and planting a tree for each of our children in the backyard .

Long after I'm gone, the trees will remain.  Long after the last of the rings on this old tree have been counted, the roots I put down, the little saplings I nurtured, the fruits I shared, the shade I offered to someone in need will live on.

Three little trees dreamed of what they would be.  But God had something more wonderful planned for them.