Gothic Revival.
Just over one hundred years old.
Approximately 19,000 square feet.
Mostly twelve foot ceilings.
Selling for the low price of $700,000.
(less than my own home was recently assessed at)
Plus … this house is located halfway between where all of my kids grandparents live … not more than one half hour drive either way. It’s perfect!
I love older homes and buildings.
They are examples of how short our human existence is and how long human impact can last, they are evidence of the local history, and they provide examples of having an eye that goes beyond simply function.
For me, to walk into a building or home that has outlived it’s builders, is to walk on something similar to holy ground … each step of my own, onto the floor boards of those who laid it’s foundation.
Still, to purchase an older building is to put a down payment on something that will never be completely revived without great cost, great sacrifice. Most often, it is simply cheaper and less headache to simply tear it all down, and lay a new foundation.
But, there is still a great cost, in doing that which is cheaper, easier.
History would be lost … of the previous owners, occupants, and their stories, as well as history of the community as a landmark, and as a reflection of the building materials of the area. Buildings of years past were craftsmanship at every corner with carved dates in the cornerstone, floors of native wood and stone, stairways trimmed with extensive, native wood trim, and windows leaded stained glass.
I hope this lovely castle sells to someone who not only sees it as a real estate purchase, but also a purchase of history and an opportunity to redeem what has been lost while it has sat vacant, while it has been damaged by vandals.
That castle could be a metaphor for us, in our human condition.
The plans for our lives were in production before the groundbreaking of our conception. We were built with great care and craftsmanship. Each and every nook and cranny designed with purpose … not just for function, but also simply to reflect the beauty and wisdom of the designer.
Over time dust has settled on us, we have been damaged by those who left scars, and we may just feel and appear as though our best years were ones that have already past.
But, with the right purchaser we could shine again … refreshed, polished … redeemed as new.
May we all accept the offer to purchase, the offer to redeem our lives, by the One who created us in the first place.
“Joy is a flag flown high from the castle of my heart,
for the King is in residence there”
The movie is called “Silent Night” and it is set in Germany, on Christmas Eve, in 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge. It is the story of a twelve year old German boy, Fritz Vincken, and his mother, who were staying in their cottage in the woods. That night, they had two sets of visitors, a group of three American soldiers looking for a place for an injured soldier, followed by a group of three German soldiers.
itsawonderfilledlife 