White Privilege and Power in POTUS

What should I do? 

In the last two months we have had white men in America take torches as well as Nazi and Confederate flags to the streets in violent protest. They chant White Power Slogans and attack others in defense of their rights. Almost at the same time we have mostly black athletes in the NFL use the opportunity to kneel during the national anthem (a sign of respect worked out between C. Kapernick and Nate Boyer (Navy Seal)) as a sign of respect for the military during his protests that almost nobody noticed at the time. For his time Kaepernick remains unemployed while Jay Cutler gets $10 million a year.

Wait What? The result of these two protests, one violent and one peaceful? After days of silence after the violence the President states that there are '...good people among the white supremacists.' and calls the NFL Athletes a 'Son of a Bitch'! DJT states that he respects protests as an American Right but not this protest because it disrespects our flag.

We sell beer, mattresses, and cars with the flag in a manner that is listed as disrespectful in the United States Flag Code, yet not one mention of kneeling during the anthem or presentation of colors is in that same code seen as disrespectful. What is disrespectful is our mostly 'White Privilege' telling Black Athletes, that are labeled as spoiled because they have a skill that white owners pay them millions to practice in their stadiums, that we don't like their 'protests' because they are disrespectful we don't like what they (the NFL Players) are protesting.

Yeah ~ we should have told MLK to have a different dream, and members of the SNCC to go to a different bus, for African Americans get served at the 'Blacks Only' counter, for black students to go to the colleges designed for them, for elementary students that are black in Little Rock and the South to go to inferior schools, and finally for college students to stop being disrespectful by protesting an immoral war because white people didn't like the way they were protesting.

This protest is about the fact that African Americans are not treated with the same 'Rule of Law' in America as their 'White Counterparts' and nobody cares (See the Book the "New Jim Crow Laws') more about that than we do about our Sunday Football, Beer, and the Flag. God Help us All if we don't stand up for our brothers & sisters during this time. If you can't see the inequality and racism of the 21st Century then the Red, White, and Blue Do-Rag has slipped over your eyes.

The NFL Players are our friends, fathers, brothers, sons, husbands, 

but definitely not 'Sons of Bitches!'

A New Beginning...and an Ending.

25 Years of History and Change

Its been a long time since I wrote in this Blog. Maybe its time to start writing again. I've been journaling for the last two weeks and I am really liking what I am starting to find our about myself. The past 9 months have been a time of reflection, change, and an awakening as Staci and I try to discover what the Lord has in store for me. We want to let you know It is with a full heart and clear soul that we are moving off of Young Life Staff as the Area Director for Bellingham. My everyday 'duties' as the AD for Bellingham are complete, however my contract with YL will continue through December. I will be available to them in various 'roles' as we strive to finish well for a ministry I love and for a mission that I strongly believe. In the list of reasons for my departure there is nothing that is negative; there wasn't anything I did wrong, YL didn't do anything to hasten our departure, Steve Blacksmith, our Regional Director, was amazing, and our Bellingham YL staff and volunteers were very supportive. Steve Blacksmith has been instrumental in walking with us through this decision and confirming what we heard as well. In the last 9 months since our Western Washington Region split we (Staci & I) have gently heard the whisper of the Lord release us from the privilege of being the AD for Bellingham. For us that me that means we needed to know that Bellingham YL has received the best of our time and effort and that we would also be leaving Bellingham with a full cupboard of funds, donors, leaders, staff, and committee. It is not a decision that we take lightly yet it is a decision that we feel confident moving forward into what is 'Next!' We are not planning on moving from bellingham as Emma is in her Senior year and Joel just started high school As the transition to 'What's Next' starts we wonder about the future. We are sure that it will be very meaningful for our family as well as for our faith as we journey into the unknown. One of my favorite quotes reminds me of where I need to put my faith: "We aren't sure of what the future holds but we are sure of who holds the future." - Martin Luther Thank you for your friendship and love of the Zenonians. If you would like to contact me please feel free to email me at zenonianloran@gmail.com I would love to speak to you or if possible have a great cup of coffee and talk about this and so many other things in your life. God's Best, Loran, Staci, Emma, Meghann, and Joel!

Lettered Streets Coffee Review

The Lettered Streets CoffeeHouse

If you know Bellingham, then you know that there are a lot of fantastic coffee shops in the old town. The Lettered Streets Coffeehouse is as good as it gets in Bellingham based on the quality of the service, the espresso and the hospitality. Here are some positives:

Service - Kjersten and Anna (Owners) have hired and trained some great Barista's that know how to properly prepare and pull a shot to be paired with your perfectly stretched milk and favorite flavor.

The Espresso - I have yet to see or taste a bad shot from any Barista at any time. Do you know the Barista that will make you turn around and go to another place because they just don't make a good cup of coffee or latte? That person doesn't exist at the Lettered Streets.

Hospitality - this is a lost art as far as I am concerned. With the staff at the Lettered Streets you get great conversation with table side service with just the right amount of personal interest without invading your privacy.

Negatives ~ the parking. Its not an easy place to park, so walk, ride, or park on G street, its worth it.

Here are my grades:
Location - 4 (Downtown is the place to be...but Lettered Streets is a close 2nd)
Parking - 1 (Bike, Bus, or Walk ~ Don't Drive. Its worth the walk instead of the 'Bux)
Ambience - 4 (Friendly, Quiet, and in an old house ~ pretty close to perfect)
Espresso - 4 (I ordered a Vanilla Latte for here ~ perfect, sweet and smooth)
Latte's - 4.5 (The latte art is amazing and it tastes great. I haven't tasted a five)
Comfort - 2 (Its not the most comfortable place but they don't have the room)
Consisent Bar Work - 4.5 (Every Barista is trained)
Study-Ability - 4 (Order, find a seat and they will bring coffee to you)
WiFi - 4 (its fast and its consistent)

Blogging The Butterflies Away

Joel played in his first dad coached flag football game today. It was a lot of fun to try and get seven 7-year olds to run an offense. It really is like herding cats...if cats had an attention span of 8 seconds :)

As I watched it occurred to me that life is a lot like coaching. My job was to be encouraging, make sure they have fun, and try to put them in the position to exercise their athletic gifts and be successful in this game called football and life.

This Monday we officially start Young Life College at my alma matter - Western Washington University! This journey to this particular point and time started two years ago when we moved to Michigan to be on YL staff in Ann Arbor (Go Blue). Staci and I had realized that we really wanted to share life with our college aged friends in Michigan. We also watched YL College start at the U of Michigan under Kenny Nollan as it grew from 45 students that first night to over 200 now.

Fast forward to November of 2009 when we interviewed in Bellingham to be on staff where both Staci and I started leading YL in 1990. We took the position and after months of praying, watching, and listening to God's Spirit we knew that it was time to start YLC at WWU. I can feel the butterflies and nerves starting to settle in as the doubts and anxiety start to whisper to me. We wont be the biggest or have the most interns or student leaders but there are three things that we will strive to be great at in ministry:

1. We will be great at creating and sustaining community.
2. We will be great at doing being present in the lives of college friends
3. We will be great at discipleship.

Greatness comes from God working through us not us working.

And so it begins....

Loran








Blogging for myself...ohoh...blogging for myself!

Location:Henry St,Bellingham,United States

Western Washington U. ~ Coffee Review

Back to School ~ Its been a quick summer of doing a lot of different things but almost nothing is more important than sitting down to a great cup of coffee and a quiet time. I love my 12oz - Extra Hot - Vanilla Latte. I really don't drink drip coffee but I'm starting to experiment with cold brewed and/or French Press coffee as my tastes expand as well as my expectations. So, as an admitted Coffee Connoisseur, I am going to review some coffee places in and around Bellingham (and the Puget Sound) that might be of interest to you if you enjoy a good cup of joe every now and then.

Did you know that Bellingham ranks #4 nationally in number of coffee shops per 10,000 people (per capita) in the United States? True story - Here is the Link that tells you how Bellingham fares in the battle of coffee shops in the U.S. Anchorage comes in as #1 per capita in the U.S. Really, Anchorage?

Anyway ~ with the luxury of Bellingham being in the Top 4 I have decided to visit and review the best coffee joints in the city. Today I will let you know of a little shop in the downtown area called, "The Black Drop." The BD is an employee owned cooperative that embodies the spirit of Bellingham while keeping the integrity of what makes a great coffee shop. The Barista/Owners (Johnathan, Steph, and Katy) are the three owners that you see brewing your coffee, making latte art, grinding your beans, making change, and engaging in conversation. You won't find any grumpy baristas in this place like you might find in the Seattle area. The espresso blend that they brew has a darker complexity with a sweet finish that really is done with excellence and pulled with integrity. (No 7 second shots here). The coffee they sell is roasted from Maniac Roasting (former owners of The Black Drop) and is some of the best locally roasted beans around. Here are my ratings (1 - 5 with 5 being the best and 1 the worst) for The Black Drop:

Location - 5 (Downtown is the place to be...)
Parking - 2 (Don't blame the BD its not their fault)
Ambience - 4 (Friendly, and totally eclectic, Bellinghamy, and perfect)
Espresso - 4 (I ordered a Dopio for here ~ sweet and smooth)
Latte's - 4.5 (The latte art is amazing and it tastes great. I haven't tasted a five)
Comfort - 3 (There isn't room for more couches or soft chairs ~ but I wish there was...)
Consisent Bar Work - 4 (every so often someone is pulling shots that doesn't have the experience)
Study-Ability - 3.5 (stay away between 7:30 - 9:30 as it gets pretty busy)
WiFi - 3 (its not fast and its not consistent ~ but their working on it)

Overall its a great place to enjoy amazing coffee, made well, pulled right, stretched perfectly, and served with some style. Its a favorite spot of mine in the downtown area...besides the fact that its not coroporate in the slightest (and that's a good thing.)

Labor Day Blues

It's Labor Day - that's not a surprise. The fact that it's raining in Washington is also not surprising. It's the last day before our children go back to school (Emma & Joel that is) and we are inside getting ready for the onslaught of the Fall, School and the end of Summer.

Joel is walking on the ceiling which Emma pouts because of the weather and school starting. I'm ready for school to start but I am a bit nervous as YL College is 24 days away - there is a lot of work to do.

Meghann was crabby for the last two days and this morning we found out why as she exploded in a poop storm during her nap. It wasn't pretty but she is a lot more joyful.

Happy start of the year!




Squirrel!

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Location:Bellingham

One More Day

This weekend has been a lot of managing kid stuff. From going to soccer games to the Farmers Market, Mt. Vernon, and calling kids on Joel's Flag Football team for practice on Wednesdays. I feel like Staci and I haven't made any alone time yet....what to do?

I'm taking Emma to her semi-final soccer game today - this is the same team where we overheard an 11 year old girl talk about the pain in her foot because of Planter Faciatis but doesn't feel she can take three months rest because her Grapa won't let her...tough to keep my lips sealed.

Joel learned to make Mac-n-Cheese today - it was quite delicious.


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Location:Home