It was Christmas Eve. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world was over for me. I didn't have enough money to buy myself the1 that I had wanted that year.

Dad came back in and there was ice in his beard（胡子)."You've been by widow（寡妇）Smith's house recently?"he asked. Widow Smith 2two miles down the road. Her husband died a year ago and left her with3children.

“I rode by just today,"Dad 4 “Little Jack was out looking for wood. They must have used up wood, Tom.”

We filled our sledge（雪橇）high with 5. Then we went to the store and Dad bought some food and a small pair of shoes. I tried to think about6Dad was doing. I knew we didn't have enough money, so why was Dad buying them so many things?

We 7 widow Smith's house and went in. "We brought you a few things, madam."Dad said, and 8 the bag of food on the table. Then Dad handed widow Smith the pair of shoes. At that moment, tears filled her eyes and started running down her face.

My throat seemed to be filled with 9, and there were tears in my eyes, too. Just then, my dream gift seemed very unimportant. Dad had given me the look on widow Smith's face and the smiles of 10three children. He had given me the best Christmas of my life.

    An old carpenter(木匠) was ready to retire. His boss was 1 to see the good worker go. He asked the carpenter 2 he could build just one more house. The carpenter said yes, 3 his mind was not on his work any more.

    He used poor materials and worked on the house 4 . When the carpenter finished his work, the boss 5 the front-door key to him, "This is your house," he said, "A 6 for you."

    What a surprise! What a 7 ! If he had known he was building his 8  house, he would have done it differently. Now he had to live in the house he had poorly built.

    9 it is with us. Sometimes we build our 10 carelessly. At important points we do not try our best. Then with a shame we look at the situation we have 11 . We find that we are now living in the house we have poorly built. But we don't have a 12 to make it all over again.

    Think of 13 as the carpenter. Think about your life. Build it 14 . It is the only life you will ever build because life is a do-it-yourself project.

    Your life today is the 15 of your attitudes and choices you made in the past. Your life tomorrow will be that of your attitudes and choices you make today.

    A little girl thought she was not beautiful and nobody liked her. So she was always 1 and didn't like to talk to others. However, one day, her mother 2  her a beautiful hair clip (发夹). When she wore it, she looked much more beautiful than before. She decided 3 it to school.

    On her way to school she found that 4 who saw her smiled at her. Most of her classmates said “hello” 5 her, but this never happened before. She thought that the beautiful hair clip had brought them all to her. She was so happy about all of the wonderful things.6 she didn't tell her classmates about her beautiful hair clip, they all wanted to know what had happened to her.

    When she went 7 home after school, her mother 8 her, “Did you know you dropped your hair clip? I found it by the door this morning.” At this time, the girl understood that she hadn't worn the hair clip to school at all.

    It is not important 9 we wear or how we look. The most important is how we think about 10.

    My father was a self-taught mandolin(曼陀林琴) player. He was one of the best players in our town. He could not1music, but if he heard a tune(曲子) a few times, he could play it. When he was young, he was a2of a small country music band. They played at local dances and played for the local radio station on a few occasions.

    At home Dad often took out his mandolin and played for the family. We three children sang along.3played the mandolin like my father. He could4your heart with the music that came out of that old mandolin. He seemed to shine when he was playing. You could see his5in his ability to play so well for his family.

    But Dad had to find another6in a factory later because the money he made at the band wasn't enough to7the family. Unluckily he had an8one day and lost one finger. He couldn't play as9as before. From then on, every time we asked him to play, he would make up excuses to 10 down our request. However, we missed his performances so much.11, he agreed and said, "Okay, but remember, I can't hold down the strings (琴弦) the way I12 to."

    When he played the old mandolin, it carried us back to a13, happy time in our lives. Dad was that kind of man,14 was what he was doing all his life. If he could give 15 to others, he would, especially his family. He was always there, sacrificing(牺牲) his time to see that his family had enough in their life.

    One summer day when I was in high school, my father sent me to buy some tools for our farm. I loved 1 better than driving our family truck to do something. But this time I was not so happy2 my father had told me I would have to ask for credit (赊账)at the store.3 is a proud age. The young men at that age want respect (尊重)but not charity. I had seen many times that my friends were 4 when they asked for credit. We lived in a poor village,5 was needed seriously. I knew clearly how difficult it might be to make the store owner believe me and get the credit.

    At Davi's Brothers store. Buck Davi was talking to a farmer. After I finished 6 the things I wanted, I walked to him. "I need to put these on credit." I said to him 7.

    The farmer gave me a 8 look. But Buck's face didn't change in the slightest. " No problem." He said in a relaxing voice, " I believe your daddy will 9 them in time." Then he turned to the farmer, " This boy is Jame William's son."

    The farmer nodded to me in a friendly way. At that time, I 10 pride. Jame William's Son, there three 11 opened a door to an adult's respect and trust.

    That day I 12 that a good name of great importance. My father's good name had won our neighbors' respect for our family. A good name, and the responsibility (责任)that came with 13 encouraged us a lot. They made us be 14than we might be. We also wanted to be regarded as good people.15 acting like good people for a long time, we became good out of good habits.