Brother,

Thank you for your thorough response to my question. Reading through it, I become overwhelmed with how easy it is to fall into sin - the traps are everywhere and one sin leads to another. But I agree, when you look at it from the perspective of how you described:

"As we seek to behave with humility, generosity, temperance (self-restraint), chastity (of mind, body, and eyes), diligence (in prayer and spiritual growth), brotherly love (kindness and charity), and patience with our self and others, the deadly sins will be automatically avoided. When we do fall into sin, Confession cures that".

Well said, and it drives home the point to me of how we can't do it without God's help. And, why Our Lord is always there to help us -- to warn us when we come close to sin, and to help us get back up should we fall. Thanks again.