Estate Planning

As most of you know, I made a quick trip to Texas last week. I left around noon on Wednesday and arrived back in Detroit less than 36 hours later. As I said it was a quick trip and one that I didn’t really have to make. My brother had to be there and I went to support him.

He needed to be there for a court case. No, he hadn’t done anything nefarious or illegal, but it was dealing with the transfer of property from my sister’s former husband. And it wasn’t anything for him to gain, just getting the ability to use the funds to take care of our sister. Because Steve hadn’t set everything up, my brother had to go through lot of legal wrangling.

Estate planning is an important thing. With what took place in this case and what we had to do when my parents passed away, I strongly encourage everyone to have a will. The will can be more complicated or pretty simple, but regardless it is important to have one.

There is a song we sing that says I have a mansion just over the hilltop. Jesus tells the apostles that He is going to prepare a place for them. I guess you could say it is estate planning, spiritual estate planning. Taking the steps to make sure things are taken care of in the future.

Hopefully, you have done some estate planning, and more importantly have done some spiritual estate planning. Planning for ourselves sure, but also for those around us: our family, our friends, and co-workers. Hopefully, you’ve taken the steps to make sure that after a death occurs, life will be taken care of eternally.

In the case of physical planning, it takes a lawyer and some legal steps. In the case of spiritual, it takes planning also. How can I best serve those around me? That is where spiritual estate planning starts; serving those around you. Part of that planning includes praying for them. Have you ever made a list of people you are around on a weekly basis and prayed for them? Finally, it takes getting a lawyer involved. In the spiritual sense it is the one that went before the judge for us, with His own blood.

Estate planning is a good thing, especially when the planning includes an estate that is the most valuable inheritance of all.

An Eye on the Spiritual,

Randy

Essay by Adeline Jones

What Easter Means to Me

By Adeline Jones

(1st place winner of the Easter essay contest grades 5-8)

There is something about the spring that always brings me joy. The flowers blooming, the smell of fresh rain, the cold winter passing and the warm summer coming near. And, of course, Easter Sunday, the best day of spring.

Waking up on Easter morning is a wonderful feeling. My brother always wakes me up early and brings me to the living room. There we find two baskets filled to the brim with tasty candy and cute presents. My brother and I always eat our candy for breakfast and then get dressed for church. At church we listen to a great sermon and then go outside for an Easter egg hunt! To end the day, we eat a late lunch at my Nana and Papa’s house. Ham, green beans, Jello eggs and more, Easter dinners are so good. As I get into bed at night I think about all the fun things I got to do for Easter. The candy, the presents, the food, and of course, spending time with my loving family. I wondered why. Why am I able to do all of these fun things. The simple answer is Jesus Christ.

When I was younger I knew that Jesus died on a cross to save our sins. Then he was resurrected and made his ascent to heaven. That was all I knew. It wasn’t until now that I realized how important his death and resurrection really is. Jesus spent his whole life healing the sick, teaching God’s word, and loving all people. He came down from heaven to a world full of evil to save people who hated him. While I got candy and presents, Jesus got a crown of thorns and vinegar to drink. While I got to go to church with people who love me, Jesus was mocked and spat on. While I ate a nice meal, Jesus was starved and suffering on the cross for me.

Throughout the long year I forget the sacrifice that Jesus made. Easter means alot to me because it reminds me of how blessed I am to have someone give up their life to save my sins. Easter makes me grateful for the things I have and the people around me. It also makes me determined to spread God’s love and word throughout the world. I love Easter.

“For he rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14

Essay by Ava Guldi

What Easter Means to Me

By Ava Guldi

(1st Place winner of the Easter essay contest grades 9-12)

When I think of Easter, I think of all the things that Jesus did for us. Despite all of the fun activities and traditions my family has, Easter is when we rejoice in the fact that we have a chance to have eternal life and live with God forever in heaven. I always think about how Jesus was the perfect sacrifice because in the Old Testament, the bible talks about how if you sin, you have to make a sacrifice to God. For example, you had to find a lamb without any defects and blemishes. Then you had to slaughter it as an offering to God so he will forgive you for your sins. Jesus is often called “The Lamb of

God” which truly shows that he is compared to that perfect lamb that could get you forgiven for your sins. John 1:29 says, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God. He takes away the sins of the world!” This tells us that Jesus was God’s lamb that he sent for us to be the perfect sacrifice that takes away all of our sins just like the lamb did in the Old Testament.

Every year on the night before Easter, my family and I dye eggs. In the morning, we wake up and open our Easter baskets. We then attend the Easter service at church and do an Easter egg hunt there with all of our church friends. After church is over, we go to my grandma’s house where we meet my cousins and other grandparents there. We all eat amazing food, and my personal favorite is my grandma’s famous green beans and cheesy potatoes. When my grandma cooks her green beans, she uses bacon in them and it transforms the whole flavor!

After we eat, my mom and my aunt go outside in the backyard, where they hide eggs for each of the grandchildren. We always tell them how tough we want the eggs to be hidden. They hide eggs in the trees, in pipes, up in the treehouse, and even by the rocks. Sometimes there’s candy in the eggs; one year there was money which was my personal favorite.

When we all go inside after the egg hunt, we all just hang out together as one big family and have the best memories, remembering what Jesus did for us. I am so grateful that we get together like this every year and that we spend the most time we can with each other. 1 Peter 1:3: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." Easter means joy, happiness, and love because of the ultimate and loving sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for our sins. This is why we rejoice every day on one of the best days of the year.