Who am I?

I have a friend, I know shocking, actually I have many but anyway, I was thinking about the subject of friends and why some go the distance and others don't and I wanted to share this story.
So my friend, I've known for over 13 years, one of the first people I met in Utah actually. She has this couch, you know the oldest/ugliest, sorry girlfriend but you know how I roll :) couch. You may have had one like it back in college and I mean way back in college.

I actually found this image when I googled "ugly couch"
Anyway, I have come to admire my friend because most of what she has in her home is old and in the same place as it's been for years. It shows a sign of contentment, that she isn't looking for the next new thing. So the subject came up when she told me how badly she wanted a new couch but was concerned what the neighbors would think seeing furniture trucks pull up outside her home.
The funny thing is she prefaced her comment with "this will make you sick but.." she knows me well. It does make me sick to think that we need to justify our actions.
WE DON'T!!
You see my cute friend was a stay home Mum for about 12 years, the kind who volunteered at the school, was at every kids activity, with the most creative neighbor gifts. She never missed a visiting teaching assignment. Well her hard working husband was laid off of work. He was able to find another job but with quite a pay cut and with no medical benefits and whats a girl to do. Her youngest was at school so she went back to work and trust me it tore at her heart strings. Then, after a failed V-chop (ya know what I mean) a new little angel came to there family and unfortunately has had to spend time with a child minder. So her guilt goes from there.

How will she be judged when buying new (needed)) things when her little one who is now in school also had to be cared for by someone else.

Fortunately this is a subject I have an answer to.
I don't give a flying hoot what other people think of me or what I do ( I know another shocker) This doesn't mean I walk around, a law unto myself, I just know in the end who I am.
WHO AM I? well I'm not Jean val Jean, although that comes to my mind every time I say who am I.

I AM a beloved daughter of God who loves me and knows me personally. He KNOWS ALL my faults and loves me anyway, just as any parent would. I also KNOW I am only accountable to him for MY actions and not for those of anyone else, even my own kids, family and neighbors. (although some of them will have my name brought up in there judgments :-)

So I say to my good friend:
BUY THE COUCH!!!
and to my neighbor who just called the cops on us for a parking violation (NO I"M NOT KIDDING) the brakes are frozen, we will move it as soon as the part and mechanic arrives.

As for why friends go the distance, I believe they are those, who know all about you and still love you. Just like the Savior would do. I see him when I look at my good friends. You know who you are.