Update, September 28, 2021

A Perspective on Life in 2021

From John and Laura Landgraf (Hayden, ID)

We, the Landgrafs, suffered a dozen deaths of beloveds within one month. From late July through late August, the bad news just kept coming. Now come the memorial services/funerals/celebrations of life, all over the country.

One idiosyncratic example:

ohn has loved Bill Malcomson since 1975 and so has Laura since meeting him when we were newlyweds. Both of us, Laura and John, came to know and love Don Goehner since Dennis Baker (who married us) introduced him to us in the context of our retreat work a dozen or more years ago. Don and Bill, huge presences (giants) in our lives, who never met each other, both crossed the River Jordan the very same day, twelve hours apart, on August 10, 2021. Lynette, Dennis’s wife, just one week later. Owwwwww.

Not only did Don Goehner and Bill Malcomson die on the same day, but:

The Celebration of Don’s life will take place at Westmont College at 2:00 PM October 31st.

The Celebration of Bill’s life will take place at First Baptist Seattle at 2:00 PM October 31st.

That’s right: coterminal services 1111 miles apart. What are the odds? Both services will be live-streamed. That’s good. But as the David Gates song has it, “If a man could be two places at one time, I’d be with you; tomorrow and today, beside you all the way.” And right now it looks like we cannot physically be in either Seattle or Santa Barbara on October 31st, or Portland, OR two days before that, or San Diego three days later, or Half Moon Bay or Long Beach three days after that – these loved ones’ memorial services are happening, all over the map in all kinds of settings.

So, what will we do? We will weep with those who weep; mourn with those who mourn; grieve with those who grieve. We will love them all and talk with them whenever they want and we are available

And we’ll hope and pray for a respite from death for a while.

Coming on LABC Zoom – No Soup, But Study (Gospel of Luke) Tuesday 6:00 p.m., Wednesday Prayer and Bible Study (Gospel of Luke) 10:30 a.m., Together in Spirit (Psalms) Thursday 6:00 p.m.