Far away on a hillside grew a forest of trees-- little and big, old and young,tall and small. The trees were very happy with life just as it was on the hillside. They loved the warm sunlight of summer, spring's cool silvery rains, the gorgeous reds and golds of autumn and winter's blanket of glistening snow. But sometimes, too, they spoke of the future, of the things they would like to do and be when they grew up. In this forest there was a mother tree and her three children.

One said, "You know, I should like to be a baby's cradle. I have seen people come into this forest carrying babies in their arms. I think a baby is the sweetest thing I have ever seen and I should like to be made into a baby's bed."The second tree spoke. "That would not please me at all. I want to be something important. I should like to cross many waters and carry cargoes of gold." The third little tree stood off by himself, apparently in deep reflection but he did not speak. "And what would you like to be?" asked the mother tree. "Have you no dream for the future?" "No dream," he answered, "except to point men to God. What could a tree do better than that?"

Years passed and the 3 little trees grew up to be beautiful tall trees. One day men came to the forest and cut down the first tree. "I wonder whether I shall be made into a baby's cradle now. I hope so. I have waited so long," he whispered. But the little tree was not made into a cradle. Instead, it was cut into rough pieces and carelessly put together to form a manger in Bethlehem. He was heartbroken. "I do not like this at all," he wailed. "This is not what I planned to be -- shoved into this dark stable with no one to see me but the cattle.

"But God, who loved the little trees, whispered, "Wait, I will show you something."

And he did. For there were in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them,

"Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherd said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the lord hath made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger."

In the stillness of the night God had laid there His own little baby, the Son of God. The manger quivered with delight. "Oh, this is wonderful," he whispered. "In all my dreams I never thought to hold a baby like this. This is better than all my planning. Why, I am part of a miracle."

And out on the hillside the trees of the forest clapped their hands because their brother, the little manger, had seen his wish come true.

A year passed by, and men came to the forest to cut down the second tree.

"I wonder whether I shall be made into a great vessel now," this one thought. "I have waited so long. Now, perhaps, I shall do great things of which I have dreamed." But the little tree did not do great things. He was not made into a great ship to cross the ocean, but instead he became a tiny fishing boat, owned by a simple fisherman named Peter. "To think that my life has come to this," he said. "Just a fishing boat. And Peter is only a fisherman."

But God who loves the little trees, said, "Wait, I will show you something." And He did.

Far out from the crowd came a person, called Jesus, who entered into the little boat and sat down and taught the people. He spoke of such wisdom, beauty, and light that the multitude and even that little boat listened eagerly. "This is wonderful," he whispered. "In all my dreams I never thought to carry a cargo like this. Why, I am part of the miracle. Jesus came to the earth to teach all the people the way to live. This is better than all my planning."

And out on the hillside all of the trees of the forest because their brother, the little boat, had seen his wish come true.

Months went by, and men came to the forest and cut down the third tree. The one that wanted just to stand on the hill and point the way to God. He was most unhappy as the ax cut into his heart. "I don't want to go from the valley," he thought. "Why couldn't they leave me alone?" But the men did not leave the little tree alone. They tore away his branches, they cut into his bark, in the form of a cross. The little tree quivered through all its being. "This is terrible," he whispered. "They are going to hang someone. Oh, I never wanted this to happen to me, I only wanted to point men to God. This is awful."

But God, who loves little trees said, "Wait, I will show you something" And he did.

For one day outside Jerusalem, a great multitude gathered. They had come to hang Jesus upon the cross. The sky became dark, and a storm came upon the land, there was wind and lightening. Earthquakes frightened the people. Some knew that a great mistake had been made. One Roman soldier, standing near the cross, said, "Truly this was the Son of God."

The body of Jesus was taken off the cross and carefully laid in a tomb. There was much sadness because of His great suffering. Then, a miracle happened, three days after, Jesus,who had been dead, came to life again. He looked the same, yet he was different. Jesus had returned as a resurrected being, and He could never die again. He would live forever. And the cross began to understand. "This is wonderful," he whispered. "I am part of a miracle Jesus' greatest mission was to give His life so that all who have ever lived on this earth can someday return to God and live with Him again. In all my dreams I never thought to point men to God in this way. This is better than all my planning."

How awesome that God's plan for us is always greater than that which we think we want for ourselves!

Thank You, Beloved Saviour, for going from the cradle to the cross to fulfil Your Father's Divine Plan for us. Because of Your sacrifice, we are able to share life eternal with the Father and You and all of our loved ones in a Glorious City far beyond our wildest hopes and dreams.

This is truly the Miracle of Christmas.