The Iron Lady

My brother has taken to calling me “The Iron Lady”.  He referred to me as such at his silver sneakers class.  I think he is feeling the heavy hand of the law since I put him on a budget.  I was having such a hard time managing his finances because of his, shall we say, unusual spending habits.  It took us about 3 months to round up all the credit cards and blank checks from his house and to come up with a plan.  Each Saturday we fill a Subway gift card with $30.00 for the week.   Mike likes to eat a Subway sandwich every day………………. He no longer buys foot long sandwiches. he now just purchases one 6 inch per day as opposed to two foot longs and forgetting he has one in the refrigerator.

Finally………I have successfully introduced him to TV dinners.  He has several he likes and they have been a huge money saver.  I don’t know why he can remember he has a tv dinner in the freezer but couldn’t remember the meals I prepared and left in his refrigerator but I’m not complaining……….whatever works!  So, we take him shopping on Saturday for groceries and then we give him a set amount of cash to pay for the extras  and his silver sneakers class.   So far, so good.  He has managed 3 weeks in a row and I say that is a significant victory!

All these things are new to Mike.  He has never managed money or worried about it since our parents paid his bills all his life.  It’s not easy to acquire daily living skills at the age of 65 but it is never too late.  I just have to remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.  We celebrate every new accomplishment and ask for patience along the way.  Sometimes the job of managing two households overwhelms me but I just have to slow down and forgive myself when I feel less than perfect.  It is OK……..  I’m doing the best that I can and if that’s good enough according to Mike then it should be good enough for this Iron Lady.

This is a prayer I say when I'm feeling like the mean ole "Iron Lady"

Lord, may I be slow to anger and filled with love

Please fill my heart with patience

May I be ready to forgive - myself and others

Not just this once

But as many times as it takes

Because I know that you are not mean

When it comes to forgiveness

Please fill my heart with understanding

May I always seek to contemplate

What somebody may be suffering

Before I jump to any conclusions

Because I know that you never cease

To pardon me

Lord, may I be slow to anger and filled with love

Because you are my hero

And I'm following you