Pineridge Blog

"Home" Blog by Brian Van Batavia

Proverbs 24:3-43 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; 4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.

I have been thinking a lot of what “home” means lately. I was born and raised in Iowa with a huge extended family, most of whom never lived anywhere except Sioux County, Iowa.

Recently, I moved to Weatherby Lake. Moving stinks, the whole process. I am someone who normally embraces change, but the older I get the less I seem to like it when there is a change in the home.

It took a while for our new house to feel like a home. I kept driving into the wrong neighborhood.
This month my parents decided to move from Sioux County to Kansas City, and they bought a house in the Platte City area. My father has never looked for a new home before; he was born and raised on the farm in Iowa. My mother has lived in the same place with dad since 1973. Trying to convince them that they are going to like their new home hasn’t been easy. All the convincing, made me think, “What would make moving homes okay?” There is only one answer: it’s love.

A true home is a place we love to go to. Our homes make us feel safe; we are surrounded by happy thoughts and peace. I can tell you with 100% certainty this is not the case for everyone. I know many people who do not have a home, safety, or love. For some people the closest thing they have to a home is when you invite them over to your house, when they go to work, when they go to school, or when they go to church. For some people the only time they feel like they are in a home is when they come to Pine Ridge.

During my parents’ house search, my wife said that “Your family will always be welcomed in our house. I know that goes without saying, but you should tell them I know they will like to be reminded of it.” This is also why it is important for us to greet each other at church, why we should look for ways to have fellowship, and why we should remember to be prudent as we grow. Pine Ridge is a home.