A Shocking Gift {Insp}

"A Shocking Gift"

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his
employer, a building 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.

His 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 it was easy
to see that his heart was no longer in his work. He had
lost his enthusiasm and had resorted to shoddy
workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an
unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and his boss came
to inspect the new 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 for ourselves.

If we had realized, 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.
Received on Mon Aug 15 01:56:13 2005