Encouragement

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A sad feeling settled over the little crooked pine as he watched the last shopper leave the Christmas tree lot. He began to think back to the years he had spent at the edge of the forest. He remembered how excited he had been in telling the nearby trees of his dream - how some day he would become a Christmas tree and be draped with glittering decorations. He remembered also - how they had laughed, and laughed at him.

"Look at your crooked trunk!" They scoffed, laughing uproariously."

No one would ever want you for their Christmas tree. You have to be tall and beautiful." A tall, stately pine nearby retorted smugly. "And you have to have a straight trunk and lush green bows like ours to be selected for such a special honor!"

"Yeah! You look more like a scrub brush!" The other trees chided in unison, as they all started laughing. "You will never be chosen!"

Their remarks cut deep in the little crooked pine tree's heart. But he knew what they said was true. He was crooked and bent. Yet he wanted so much to grow straight and tall. As a seedling, he had always tried very hard to stretch his tiny limbs toward the sun. Although, they were small, he hoped they would grow and become strong and lush green like all the other trees nearby.

The seasons passed and the other seedlings continued to grow tall and straight. But as they grew, they began casting long dark shadows over the little pine. Only small flickers of the sun's rays filtered down on his already sparsely needled branches.

So, as time passed the little crooked pine tree only grew more and more crooked.

Finally, the exciting day came that the little crooked pine had dreamed of. The huge truck belonging to the tree cutters came rumbling bumpily down the road and up the hillside to where the acres of trees had been growing for this year's Christmas harvest. It stopped very near to the little crooked pine.

In moments, the two burly men inside the truck jumped out and began unloading their chain saws. Then, they quickly went about selecting and marking all the trees they planned to cut.

Buzzz! Buzzz! Buzzz! Sounds from the busy men's chainsaws could be heard. Down went the first tree. The little crooked pine watched in awe at the men's bulging muscles as they tightly gripped the handle of their huge saw.

Buzzz! Buzzz! Buzzz! The saws continued echoing noisily across the hillside as the men continued working. Finally, the trees that had been cut down were picked up and stacked in the bed of the big truck.

Anxiously, the little crooked pine watched as each tree was carefully selected, chopped down, then loaded on the truck. After each one had fallen, he had been certain that he would be next. But the men did not even look his direction. Now he was just about to give up hope of ever being chosen to be a Christmas tree.

Suddenly, he heard it! Buzzz! Buzzz! Buzzz! He had not noticed that the big man had walked up behind him just before the chainsaw came smashing through his trunk! Just as quickly, the big man picked him up and threw him high in the air to land on top of the other trees.

"Whee!" said the little crooked pine. He was so excited to be chosen to be a Christmas tree. Very soon - he felt certain - he would be in a warm and cozy room enjoying the laughter of some little girl or boy.

In his excitement and anticipation, though, the little crooked pine had failed to hear what the big man had gruffly said to his partner. "Hey! Throw in that scrubby one, too,! He said. "It's too crooked to ever be a Christmas tree. But maybe someone will buy it to cut off its branches to use for trimmings on their fireplace mantle.

Now, the snow was falling more heavily. It's chilly white blanket had nearly covered the ground - and the little crooked pine. The last shopper hurried out with their Christmas tree and the big burly man began to slowly shut the gate.

"Can you believe it, Sid?" The big man exclaimed proudly to his partner. "We sold every last one of our trees. That is - except that scrub. We've got the rent on this lot paid for two more days, but let's get this mess cleaned up. Then we can pull out early in the morning. It looks like we'll get to eat Christmas dinner at home after all."

Then, as he turned to walk away, he added gruffly. "Oh, by the way, just throw that little scrub pine over the fence. I should have known it wouldn't sell. I ought to have left it back there on the hillside. Nobody wants a crooked little pine for a Christmas tree!"

Do you feel unloved and unwanted? Do you think there can ever be a purpose for your life? Find out what happens to the little crooked pine tree by reading the inspiring E-Book, entitled, 'The Little Crooked Pine - a Christmas Story of Hope and Love. ©copyright 2008 www.menofagape.com

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