The Little Boy Who Loved Trees

The Little Boy Who Loved Trees There once was a little boy who loved trees. He lived on a small farm in the midst of a great forest. Every day just before the sun would set after the evening chores he would go out to the edge of the clearing and walk around looking in awe and wonder at the great oaks and pines.

One day he noticed a small pine sapling struggling toward the light. He could tell that its struggle was great because the small tree was beginning to grow at an angle. He dug up that small tree and took it from under the canopy of the forest and planted it at the edge of the clearing. He fashioned some straight poles from the branches of a very generous pine tree. He placed one on either side of the small tree. He took some rope and tied that tree so that it was pointing straight up at the sun that it had so earnestly been seeking all it's few tree days. Every day the boy would come to the clearing with a bucket of water for his little tree.

As the boy grew he became very attached to that tree. What he did not know was that his activities did not escape the notice of his father. The father would sometime come out and spread a little fertilizer on the tree. He would examine it for infestation and spray it with insecticide, if need be. You see that father knew the value of learning to care for something. He knew that it was a powerful character builder, besides it was a lot easier to housebreak than a puppy.

One day the boy went out to water his tree and to his horror it was broken, snapped at the base. He looked around on the ground and found evidence that a large bear had rolled over his tree. He was heart broken. He picked up the remains of his tree and brought it home to his father. His dad could fix anything. Maybe he could fix his tree too. When the father received the tree he listened carefully to his sons story of how he had raised this tree. He told his son that he would see what he could do and took the tree to his workshop. He told his son to get back to his chores and that he would call him when he was done.

The boy was tormented all day by expectation. His tasks that normally took a few moments seemed to take hours. When he was finally done the boy went to his father and asked expectantly is it well? Did you save my tree? The father said that it was too late to save the tree. The damage was too great. The boy began to weep. His father gently placed his large callused hand upon the boy's shoulder. Son, he said, "Your tree is not gone. Come with me to the shop.? The father led the still crying child to the shop. The father pointed to the workbench and said there is your tree. The boy looked up in wonder. That's my tree? Yes said the father. The boy's sorrow turned to joy as he beheld the small train. His father had transformed tragedy into triumph by carefully carving that small tree into an engine, two boxcars and a little caboose. As the Father of that little boy turned a lifeless piece of timber into a new shape of great value for his child So to will God transform us and our life. He will take us from tragedy to triumph as did the father of that little boy.