ex(PR)essed

Ok…so the same day that I write an impassioned blog about the spectacle referred to as the Tour de France, Tour leader, Michael Rasmussen, is suspended from his team and forced to leave the race in disgrace. Apparently he lied to his team about his whereabouts earlier in June when he missed two drug tests. Now, keep in mind, his team knew this and let him start the Tour. But, for some reason, the day he smokes contenders Alberto Contador, Cadel Evans, and Levi Leipheimmer in the Pyrnnes, his team decides to suspend him and send him home. What in the world is going on?!

Let’s just call the whole thing off. Seriously. Cancel these last few days. Maybe cancel the whole event for a few years until a few cyclists decide that they’ll tackle the Tour with dedication, determination, and proper respect for the sport and the event.

You know. Like Lance did.

There was time when the first three weeks in July were, for me, the most wonderful time of the year. These weeks of bliss would start on a Saturday morning when Lance Armstrong and the sport’s finest cyclists and their teams would take to the roads of France in a 100-year-old event called the Tour de France.

The Prologue — always an individual timetrial — marked the start of the race. Riders would have their first chance to show whether their nerves of steel and months of intense training and fanatical dieting were going to make them or their team a serious contender in the Tour. Next, it was all about the sprinters for a few days — guys like Robbie McEwen, Baden Cooke, Stuart O’Grady, and big Tom Boonen. Then, with nearly a week of fast, flat stages under their jerseys, the climbers would take over, and, like magic, Lance and his teammates would once again dominate the field.

I loved the Tour de France. Largely, I admit, because of Lance Armstrong. Like many, I am inspired and amazed by how he battled back from cancer, but after his impressive return to the Tour in 1999, I quickly became as much a fan of Lance the cyclist as Lance the man. He’s a phenomenal, fearless cyclist. He inspired great riding among the whole Tour field, and I loved watching every exciting second!

So, when I faced July 2006 and the reality of a Tour without Lance, I was uncertain that I could remain interested in this sport and its crowning event. There was mumbling that George Hincapie might be a contender, and I’m definitely a Hincapie fan. So, I rooted for him while my husband rooted for Floyd Landis. When Landis made his incredible comeback last summer, we were on our feet cheering him on. My love of cycling was in full swing once again! It felt like the most wonderful time of the year! Until the Landis victory came under scrutiny. Until his samples tested positive for unnatural levels of testosterone. Until he resorted to stupid tactics to try to prove his innocence.

The disappointment was so overwhelming that the 2007 Tour de France started without even a second glance from me. Sure, I wanted the Discovery team to ride well; I wanted them to ride American Levi Leipheimer into the yellow jersey. But now, yesterday’s news that Alexandre Vinokourov tested positive for a banned substance, sending his entire Astana team home (including serious contender Andreas Kloden) infuriates me beyond description. All these riders and their stupid doping issues have made it nearly impossible to be a cycling fan.

I want Lance back.

The Seven Wonders of the World list was recently revised, and, I’m sorry to say, Stonehenge did not make the new list. However, this creative replica of Stonehenge certainly deserves to be on some sort of “wonder list.” Hmmmm…

With some quick research, I quickly determined that there are actually several such “wonder” lists — Wonders of the Ancient World, Wonders of the Modern World, Wonders of the Natural World. The Harrisburg Patriot-News even released the Seven Wonders of the Midstate on Sunday. Their list, which included local wonders like the Susquehanna River, the smell of Hershey, and Mayor Stephen Reed, got me thinking about the Seven Wonders of Messiah.

7 — Adventure education. A whole course of study devoted to building, using, and challenging groups and individuals against a wilderness backdrop. Hiking, kayaking, navigating a ropes course are each norms in this course.

6 — Smart kids. They earn Fulbright Scholarships, pass CPA exams with the greatest of ease, and have no trouble with state licensing exams for nurses. They excel in their classes and earn entry into prestigious graduate schools. Messiah students are a wonder!

5 — the Biology department. This diverse group of folks specialize in everything from mushrooms to Panamanian golden frogs to insect ecology. Whoa.

4 — Ladies in leadership. The president, dean of students, vice president of operations, director of safety, director of marketing and public relations — all women! So many good examples of talented, capable women flexing their leadership muscles.

3 — the Agape Center. 400 students a week volunteer at one of 34 local community service agencies! The College’s commitment to service and ability to look beyond self is indeed amazing.

2 — Campus. Have you seen this place? The winding Yellow Breeches and famous covered bridge. The beautiful landscaping. The green spaces. Geese and ducks, birds of all varieties.

1 — Soccer! The men are five-time national champions. Need I say more?

In late spring, more than 50 volunteers began transforming a popular campus spot for sunbathing and ultimate frisbee into a quarter-acre community garden. There was buzz on campus, for sure, about this large garden. The buzz reached the Patriot-News gardening reporter, George Weigel, and he came to campus several weeks ago to talk with student Dan Webster and dining services director Mark Wirtz about the garden; I tagged along.

Today, George’s story about the Messiah garden is on the front page of the LIFE section. (The print edition is graced by two photographs, including one taken by our office’s very own student photographer, Dan Custer! He’ll be signing autographs later today…) It’s a terrific story — one that reflects the creativity, commitments, and determination of Messiah students. The garden and those responsible for maintaining it, help demonstrate environmental stewardship at its best.

The garden, planted to grow produce, is also “producing” a great story for Messiah!

Last Monday started as a typical, quiet summer day in my hometown of Meadville. A crew was doing demolition work at Allegheny College mid-morning when the unexpected happened — the chain holding a wrecking ball snapped, sending a nearly 2,000 pound wrecking ball rolling down North Street before coming to an abrupt stop in the trunk of a unsuspecting Ford Taurus! You’ll want to check out the slideshow (set to music) posted by The Meadville Tribune for a better sense of the damage and chaos.

I first received news of the runaway wrecking ball from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s website. I quickly e-mailed my parents, using a subject line that read, “Only in Meadville.” They immediately knew that I was aware of the town’s latest 15 minutes of fame. Apparently my brother, who lives in southern California, saw footage on the news and called home to share a chuckle with my parents as well.

Meadville is famous for a few things: the invention of the zipper, Channellock tools, Dad’s dog food, Eddie’s Footlong Hot Dogs, and now a runaway wrecking ball!

I spent last week in hot, humid Orlando, Florida with 7,500 students and youth leaders at LIFE 2007, a youth conference hosted by the Christian and Missionary Alliance every three years. I walked miles and miles in the Orlando Convention Center, slept very little, and marveled at the scene of 7,500 people waving glo-sticks to signify their passion for the Lord. I suffered from a lack of caffeine most days, learned to play Four Square, and struggled with the apathy some demonstrated for awesome times of worship and fellowship. Brennan Manning knocked my socks off, The Swift played their last concert ever, and I danced to “Undignified” almost every day. God moved in big ways — 1,700 students answered a call to full-time ministry; more than $114,000 was given in an offering for the Alliance’s work in Africa; and one of my student roommates for the week expressed her strong desire to keep her passion for God alive long after the conference concluded.

I roomed with two amazing girls — Emily and Mandi — who tackled the conference with enthusiasm. I loved that they attended a session on sexual purity and then wanted to talk about what they learned. I loved that they both expressed a desire to spend more time in their Bibles. I loved that Emily coined our time together as a “triangle of womanship.” I loved that they enjoyed hanging out with Jeff and even videotaped his adorable impressions of a bird! I loved that even when they were tired, they paid attention and listened to the speakers. They were good sports (even at the shady Chinese buffet), and they made the experience all the more meaningful for me. It was a privilege to be with them.

LIFE was exhilirating. And tiring. And I’m pretty sure that I’m changed because of it.

As the song says, “Every blessing you pour out, I’ll turn back to praise.” Thanks, God, for the blessing of youth ministry, for the opportunity to worship with believers, and for your unfailing love.