We Are/Are Not Heros (part 1)

(the following is from an unpublished article I submitted to Campus Cross Walk in August, and never heard back - might as well post it here!)

(Last summer) I had the opportunity to donate blood marrow stem-cells to a leukemia patient whose name I do not know and whose life situation I haven’t a clue—except for the fact that this guy was 52 years old, had leukemia, and would probably meet his maker by this time next year unless they found a donor match. I have no idea if he has a family, I have no idea where he lives, I don’t know if he’s Christian, Muslim, Jewish, whatever—and I certainly don’t know if he’s led a good life. All I know is that I agreed to be a donor 8 years ago at a special screening at my church, and that’s about that.

The process involved multiple blood draws, multiple medical questionnaires, an x-ray, a full physical, and 5 days of two injections in my belly of a medicine that can best be described as “bone marrow steroids.” It culminated with a 5 hour draw to collect the marrow stem-cells from my blood.

Somewhere right now a guy I don’t know has my exact immune system pumping out of his (my) bone marrow, swimming around in his veins, getting used to their new home. He’s certainly not out of the woods yet, for there is an incredibly long recovery period. If he ever decides to contact me, they do not allow him to do so for an entire year –by then, if all is successful, he will have licked his leukemia and more time will have been added to his game clock.

Question: Does this make me a “Hero”?

In sharing my story it is certainly not my intention to call attention to myself, but it begs a great question which I cannot pass up—which, incidentally, leads to another great question:

What is the definition of a “Hero”?

Which leads to an even greater question:

What qualifies one as a “Hero” of Faith?

Music Post

Since January 1, I have purchased a handful of CDs (I'm still old-school, mind you). Only 2 have been recent releases. One is, to my ears, simply astounding. The other is well done, but could have been so much better. Here they are:

1. Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion: I got this disc the day it came out in January. I cannot stop listening to it - simple as that. This music feels new, and it makes for an exciting listen. Imagine a postmodern, avant-garde Pet Sounds for our decade, and you pretty much have it. Lots of harmony, lots of cool hooks, lots going on underneath the surface. I have no idea what they are singing about, but the music is simply amazing. It's similar to when I first listened to Radiohead's Kid A back in 2000; you get the feeling that you are hearing something new and different, with just enough melody and hooks to make it sound familiar as well. I wish all young bands were brave enough to make sound collages like this; I bet they do too. I can't really recommend a single standout track, it all sort of flows together, as it should be. Although "My Girls" is a good jumping-off point.
2. U2, No Line On The Horizon: I begrudgingly bought this disc after reading an interview in Rolling Stone a few weeks after it came out. I have been very unimpressed with U2 this decade, especially after How To Dismatle An Atomic Bomb (2004), easily one of my least favorite albums of theirs. So to my surprise, and relief, this new one is pretty good. Darn near classic. The first four tracks are soaring, the last four are excellent - it's the middle 3 songs that just sort of drag the album down into mediocrity. How great this record would have been, if not for "I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight", "Get On Your Boots," and "Stand Up Comedy." It truly would have been the collection of 'Future Hymns' they set out to make. If you lost faith in U2 over the last 7-8 years, 8 tracks on this new album are worth believing in them again. 'Unknown Caller' is the most uplifting song about dying I've ever heard, 'Moment of Surrender' is an incredible hymn, 'White as Snow', 'No Line', and 'FEZ-Being Born' are all standouts. Still in heavy rotation after 6+ months: I can't stop listening to Fleet Foxes from last year, both their self-titled debut as well as their Sun Giant EP. Some of their stuff is just as powerful as any song on Automatic for the People, but with harmonies. Why can't a capella church singing groups sound more like this and less like barbershop?

New on-line article

Hey folks;

I have a new on-line article as of last night. You can find it at www.wineskins.org. They used to be a print magazine at one time, now they are on-line. The title of the article is "Confessions of a Christian Narcissist."

Coming soon, to this very blog, my take on the recent U2 album (yes, I finally broke down and bought it).....Plus the beginning of 'the best secular-band-Christian-songs-in-disguise' list....

Mark

Celebrating Life This Easter Sunday, Prt. 3 of 3

I humbly offer the following: While indeed Easter Sunday may be technically no different than any Sunday in which we take the Eucharist and proclaim Christ’s resurrection until he comes again—it is unique in a sense that the world gives us a free Sunday in which we can shout the message from the rooftops. It is a rare day in which the world may just actually listen, if even for a second. And given the opportunity to make a special evangelistic proclamation on a special calendar day; well, I will gladly take it every time. I am only humbled that through Christ I have an abundant life which grants me the opportunity to do so.

Similarly, every day of her being I celebrate baby Michaela’s life: That certainly will not stop me from lavishing her with gifts and celebration every March 22! So in the end, Easter Sunday may not be technically any ‘different’ than any other Sunday on any other week in any other month. Yet it does afford us a unique opportunity to ‘put on our Sunday best’ before the world and proclaim the Living Christ to many who may very well not hear the message the rest of the year. We celebrate life—especially the Author of Life—every day we are afforded such, with every breath we take: Let us celebrate even more boldly on this special Easter Sunday (April 15 this year), and in doing so remind ourselves what a great thing it is to bask in and share the very light of life that sustains the whole world!

Celebrating Life This Easter Part 2 of 3

Easter Sunday is, before all things, a celebration of the Life of our Savior, whom death could not hold and who lives even today. One Sunday each year the Christian world makes a special proclamation to the entire world that our Savior lives. It’s one of the few days of the calendar year (besides perhaps Christmas) that non-Christians are compelled to stop and consider, if even for a second, this message of Life that Jesus Christ came preaching. It may be the only day of the year in which many hear the core of the gospel proclaimed, the message of such good news it almost seems to good to be true!

Which brings up an interesting and valid question: Are not Christians called to proclaim His resurrection every Sunday? If so, then some might ask why make such a big deal about Easter Sunday. Is it logical? Is it necessary? Is it even Scriptural? I have attended churches that celebrate Easter in a big way; I have attended churches that have gone about the day business-as-usual; I have even been to churches that seemed to go out of their way not to even acknowledge Easter anywhere on the premises. So is this Sunday any more special than any other Sunday of the year, or any other day of the year for that matter?

Celebrating Life This Easter Prt. 1

Last spring, Easter Sunday fell on March 23, the second earliest date on which it can possibly fall. The last time Easter came this early was 1913, and the next time it will fall this early on the calendar will be the year 2160—truly a unique Easter fact that perhaps few of us where aware of at the time.

Last spring, Easter Sunday was the most memorable of my life, though not for the facts mentioned above. It was special for me because my sweet little daughter, Michaela Ann, was born at 7:35am the day before, Saturday March 22. The day before I joined my church family to celebrate the resurrected Life of Christ, I gazed into the big brown eyes of my wife and I’s very own miraculous 6lb. 13oz. little bundle of life.

So each spring hereafter—even if Easter arrives as late as April 25 (which won’t happen until 2038, by the way)—I will always be reminded of the beginning of my daughter’s “post-womb, pre-heaven” life: She might as well have two birthdays each year, March 22 and the Saturday before Easter!