When it comes to cleaning out between the cushions of the couch one often finds interesting things like coins, keys, popcorn, other random stuff. But when family members of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, went through her couch, they found something much more interesting; they found a handwritten will.

Since the will that was found in her couch was different from the will that was found in a locked cabinet in her home, her heirs turned to the court system to determine which will was valid. Now, after deliberating for less than an hour, a jury in Michigan has decided that the will that was found in Aretha Franklin’s couch is indeed valid.

Click on this link to read about the fascinating saga of Franklin’s will.

And while we are on the topic of wills, do you have one? Yes, according to the lawyer who helped me make out my will, everyone has a will. If you don’t make one out for yourself, designating where all of your earthly goods are to go when you die, the state will step in and decide who gets all your stuff. So the only question is, do you want to decide who gets your property or do you want the state to decide?

It puzzles me why people would avoid writing a will. Maybe they think they will have time to do it later. And many steadfastly avoid anything that has to do with death.

I am thankful that when it comes to our heavenly inheritance the Lord did not leave any room for doubt:

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 4:4-7)

He sent his own Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us on the cross and rise from the dead so that we sinners could be with him eternally in heaven. Jesus’ death for us on the cross is the clearest indication that we are God’s most treasured possession.