A man with a nagging secret was unable to keep it any longer and he went to the priest to confess his sin. He admitted that for years he had been stealing building supplies from the lumberyard where he worked.
“How much lumber did you take?” the priest asked.
“I took enough to build my home and enough for my son’s house. Then I took enough to build houses for my two daughters. Oh, and our cottage at the lake.”
“This is a very serious offense,” the priest said. “I’ll have to think of a far-reaching penance. Have you ever considered doing a retreat?”
“No, Father, I never have,” the man replied. “But if you can get the plans, I can get the lumber.”