An old carpenter(木匠) was ready to retire. His boss was sorry  to see the good worker go. He asked the carpenter if he could build just one more house. The carpenter said yes, but his mind was not on his work any more.

He used poor materials and worked on the house carelessly. When the carpenter finished his work, the boss handed the front-door key to him, "This is your house," he said, "A gift for you." 

What a surprise! What a shame ! If he had known he was building his own house, he would have done it differently. Now he had to live in the house he had poorly built.

So it is with us. Sometimes we build our lives carelessly. At important points we do not try our best. Then with a shame we look at the situation we have created . We find that we are now living in the house we have poorly built. But we don't have a chance to make it all over again.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your life. Build it wisely. It is the only life you will ever build because life is a do-it-yourself project.

Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices you made in the past. Your life tomorrow will be that of your attitudes and choices you make today.