The Carpenter (A Carpenter's Tale)

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 asked 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 a dedicated career.

When the carpenter finished his work the employer

came to inspect the house. He handed the

front-door key to the carpenter.

"This is your house," he said, "My gift to you!"

The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If

he had only known he was building his own house,

he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a

time, often putting less than our best into the

building. Then with a shock we realize we have to

live in the house we have built. If we could do it

over, we'd do it much differently. But we cannot

go back.

You are the carpenter.

Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or

erect a wall. "Life is a do-it-yourself project,"

someone has said. Your attitudes and the choices you make

today, build the "house" you live in tomorrow. Build wisely!