This Is Not Goodbye

February 6, 2011 was not an ordinary Sunday.  I cried on my way home after watching the entire game of the Super Bowl with a few friends, as well as all the commercials.  And might I add that the Eminem Chrysler commercial was amazing!  May I also note that I was not crying because the Steelers lost.  I just want to make that perfectly clear.  I watched the game, but I did not care who won or lost.  OK.  So, rewind to around 8:30. in the morning.  I was just putting the finishing touches on my outfit while getting ready for church.  The night before I had bought a suit vest to wear with my black trousers and red hot high heels.  I was looking pretty chic, if I do say so myself.  I was feeling good.  Someone at church even said I was looking skinny!  What better news could I get?!  Well earlier that day I got some news, but I wouldn't say it was good news.

The time was 10 a.m.  This was right about the time when I got the news that shook the nation.  OK, so maybe not the nation, but my Sunday School class for sure.  Scott and Susie, our teachers, are going to be leaving our church to help out, and hopefully join full-time, at another church which is growing in their ministry but lacking the leadership.  We have a common bond with this other church because the senior pastor used to be the youth pastor at our church.  This is incredibly bitter sweet for me, because Scott and Susie have been more than just teachers to me, they are my friends.  I cannot imagine Heritage without them, or their two boys.  Susie and I in particular go way back to when our church was Ryan Road Baptist before we moved locations to 14 Mile and Van Dyke.  I didn't really know her then, but I knew of her.  It wasn't until I was in high school and she and Scott became leaders in the youth group that I really got to know Susie.  She has this way about her that just makes you want to be around her and learn from her.  She's very blunt and in your face sometimes, but that is what I love about her.  She gets straight to the point without getting off at any exits.  Example:  A bunch of us college kids were at their house and out of no where she asks my brother when he and his girlfriend are going to get married!  It was really funny and it totally put my brother on the spot!  That is how Susie is, and she's great at it!

I've always enjoyed the times I have spent with Susie; from girl's sleepovers in youth group, to 4th Sundays with the college class, to even spending an entire weekend with her family to help paint her front room.  If you don't know the story of me painting her front room, check out my blog.  It was legendary!  BTW, I apologize if many of my sayings are odd, but I have been watching How I Met Your Mother lately.  Anyways, I digress.  Susie has been an incredible friend to me over the years.  So incredible in fact, that she said I was one of the people she was afraid to tell about her family leaving our church.  I didn't know I meant so much to her.  In fact, while I was painting at her house, she wanted to tell me about her and Scott's plans on going into the ministry but they didn't have all their information and plans all worked out at the time. I kind of thought at the time, which was back in September, that something was going on.  I wanted to ask her if they were planning on moving, but I was not prepared for any answer.  She has encouraged, more like forced, me into speaking at a weekend getaway with the ladies of our church.  And when I say getaway, I mean all of us ladies hanging out at the church for two days.  We didn't sleep over, but we did stay late Friday night, and return early Saturday morning.  We've had some really good times with the ladies from church and I will miss that fellowship.  I feel like Susie has been pushing me to do things so that I might one day take a step forward into the ministry somewhere, maybe organizing ladies activities or one day teach a Bible study.  Who knows what goes on in her mind, but I know that she wouldn't push me if she didn't think I couldn't do it.  That is what I love about Susie.

Scott and I, on the other hand, have an brother/sister friendship.  I have this problem where I must win at the game of wits.  I just have to have the last word, and it has to be awesome.  Scott's age is a really good target for me because I like to remind him that he is ten years older than I am.  He and I go back to my youth group days.  Like Susie, I saw him as just my leader, not really a friend.  Over the past five years, however, Scott and Susie have become really close friends of mine that I know if I just stopped by their house, they would OK with that.  I enjoy their company, and hopefully they enjoy mine; otherwise, they have been lying to me all these years!  I have sincerely enjoyed our friendship and the things I have learned from him.  He knows a lot about the Bible and I can always go to him if have questions or concerns.  We like to joke around and drink lots of coffee.  He knows I have to have his special coffee on Sunday mornings.  Who's going to replace that?  Who am I going to play catchphrase with other than Scott and Susie after 11 p.m.? Who's house are we all going to hang out at on 4th Sundays?  Truth is, no one can replace them.  We'll still have those moments, just maybe not all the time.  They'll have a new church family to get to know and make memories with which is always a good thing.

I know God will do amazing things through Scott and he'll be a great pastor someday.  God's plans are always better than our own, which is why I have kept my feelings to myself.  Actually, I have blatantly protested their leaving, but I hope they know that I am joking.  I hope they know they mean a lot to me, and I will visit them at least once a week.  I love their family so much, and I can't imagine not seeing them every week.  Susie said even if we don't see each other every Sunday, we'll see each other again in Heaven.  I want that day to be soon.


Jennifer Nicole