Updown Court

Christmas is the most fascinating time of the year to me. People seem to lean in a couple different directions during this season. The more positive direction is found towards a spirit of giving and love. I feel as though I get a few more smiles than usual from the people working in the places that I shop. This could be because of threats issued by employers, but I’d like to think otherwise. The other direction that individuals appear to lean towards is that of rampant consumerism. We spend ridiculous amounts of our hard earned cash on toys, clothing, body lotions, plastic junipers, and lights that adorn our house from the day after thanksgiving until we get the motivation to remove them.
An article in Esquire (I read a lot of different things on the internet!) listed a few extravagant items one might purchase this holiday season if he or she possessed a billion dollars. The first, Updown Court, is a home in the English countryside with 103 rooms, several pools, a greenhouse, tennis court, stable, etc. It has been for sale for a number of years and even with a drop in real estate prices costs $139 million. One can automate every part of the house from the television volume to the temperature in every room for the low price of $16.5 million. What home would be complete without the world’s largest television, the 103 inches by 102.5 inches Panasonic plasma that will run you $69,995?
James 5 has some pretty strong words against rich oppressors. Now… the Bible doesn’t state that being in a certain tax bracket is an automatic ticket to Hades. However, James 5 warns that physical riches will corrode, rot, and be eaten by moths. The language gets even harsher as the passage continues. I know that for me, it’s easy to become attached to possessions. While we may never be rid of the materialism of the holiday season, we can at least add to the giving, loving, and sharing of the gospel.