An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer 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.    The employer 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 did a bad job and used low quality materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.    When the carpenter finished his work, the employer came to inspect the house. The employer 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 it, 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 build 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 wonderfully and with dignity. The motto 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 choices you make today. Why couldn't the carpenter focus on his work?
Because he didn't put his heart into the work. Because he was not satisfied with his employer. Because he was an absent-minded and careless man. Because he was anxious to enjoy family gatherings.