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The Carpenter
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his
employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house
building
business and live a more leisurely life with his wife
enjoying
his extended family. He would miss the paycheck,
but he
needed to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and
ask if he could build just one more house as a personal favor.
The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see
that his
heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy
workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate
way to end his career.
When the carpenter finished his work and the builder
came to
inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to
the carpenter. "This is your house," he said,
"my gift to you."
What a shock! What a shame! If he had only
known he was
building his own house, he would have done it all so
differently.
Now he had to live in the home he had built none too
well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a
distracted way,
reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than
the best.
At important points we do not give the
job our best effort. Then
with a shock we look at the situation we have created
and find
that we are now living in the house we have
built. If we had
realized that, we would have done it differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about
your house.
Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a
wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever
build.
Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be
lived graciously and with dignity.
The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a
do-it-yourself project."
Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result
of
your attitudes and choices in the past.
Your life tomorrow will be
the result of your attitudes and the choices you make
today.
Pass this on to someone you like. I did.
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