Signs I might be in need of the sacrament of reconciliation

- when dealing with a challenging person, the thought of beating them severely with a tree branch is a source of comfort

- when in the middle of prayer, you find yourself making lists, planning your day and all of the sudden you realize and ask yourself 'what was I doing?'. 

- when you're about to, are or have done something just a tad shady you ask yourself, "Hmm, is that really a sin?". Run, do not walk to a confessor.

- when your energy is being sapped from you when in your vocation, it's time for that booster shot of grace from the sacrament. 

I can't do this whole mom gig on my own because I figured something out about myself, I suck at it! Seriously! I'm constantly interrupted, constantly having to take situations and turn them into teaching moments, take care of others before my own needs, avert crisis, listen to complaints and address them and find a clean pair of socks before I leave the house, and sometimes 'clean' is optional. I have to empty myself and be there for others, all this before breakfast. 

So that sacrament is my lifeline. It's my salvation because it is so intimately tied to the cross! It's what He did for me so that I can return His love by asking out of humility for forgiveness for all the things I've done that has hurt and broken our relationship so that He can pour more of Himself into me, more of His love, more of His patience, more of His meekness, more of His humility, more of His kindness, more of His grace. 

I wouldn't drive in a car without periodically changing the oil or filling up at the pump. How much more important is my soul than my dumb car?