Another day another chance to grow

It is funny how God makes us admit, look at, and take responsibility for our shortcomings. I have a very good friend who called me today to ask for help. The co dependent side of me wants to run and help. It is a truly wonderful feeling to be needed, for someone to think of you as having the answers to their problem or just being the sounding board for their trials. It just so happens that I have been asked to help guide and advise someone in their personnel fiances. Now I find myself at a place where I must admit one of my shortcomings publicly. I suck at managing money. I manage money like an addict with a bag that has to last a week and is looking for a fix the next day. I have never taken responsibility for this part of my life. I have a wonderful wife who with the help of my paycheck every week pays all of the bills in our home. Other than working to bring home a check I do nothing to help with the bills. I have always used that the excuse that we would have a great time but would never know when the lights or water would be turned off. As I write this I see how truly sad, immature, and irresponsible I have been. I have always given my wife the credit for everything we have because of her ability to rob Peter to pay Paul. I have the ability to incur debt with the dream of paying it back, of every intention of paying back. All I have really done is increase the the stress in her life. I have forced her to feel like the bad guy for being the responsible one of us. I say it is OK to say no, without even considering how much I hate telling her no. I have listened to her, seen the stress, and ignored the cry for help. I have made offers to help and never have. She has said she would show me what and who we owe, I have never had the time. Today I must do 2 things:
1) Call my friend and thank him for opportunity to grow. Tell him I need help as well. Explain to him that the reason it appears we have our act together financially is because of my wife.
2) Make an amends to my wife, ask her to forgive me for being selfish. Ask her for guidance in learning how to manage a household budget. Then try to take some of the burden from her.
How will it go, God only knows. I will pray for his help in changing this behavior. I never know how He will chose to speak to me, He used a friend today. For me it is a God moment when a friend asks for help, and you find that it is you that needs the help.