What Is The Story Of Mark

[Recaredo Latreche]

Days of great trial, of famine, darkness and sword" is a reflection of the apparent times in which we live when still thousands of people die every day from starvation, malnutrition and war. In the midst of it all we are called to make a declaration of what and who we believe in.

The second verse refers to the restoration of unity of the body, what Jesus prayed for - "that they may be one even as I and the Father are one..." by reference to Ezekiel's prophetic vision of the valley of the dry bones becoming flesh and being knit together. There are lots of interpretations of this picture, but one of a united church rising up in unity and purpose, is a powerful call on us in these days.

These are the themes of the verses - Declaration, Righteousness, Unity and Worship. I chose to express these thoughts by reference to the characters that represented these virtues in the Old Testament. It is in essence a song of hope for the Church and the world in times of great trial.

These thoughts were in my head when I came to church early one Sunday in 1995. We have two services and the Pastor spoke during the first service on the "valley of dry bones" from Ezekiel. I took a prompt from this and, in the 30 minutes between the services, wrote down the words and chords in the kitchen of our church building and we sang it, as a body, at the end of the second service.

How do you express the sense that these might be days, not of failure and submission, but of the sort of resilient, declaring, even arrogant trust and hope that Elijah had in his God? That these are not days of God stepping back and allowing the world and the church to roll uncontrolled towards eternity, but rather days when he is calling on his body to make a stand, to offer right praises and to declare that He is totally in control. Well, I reckon you may write the words "These are the days of Elijah" and "These are the days of David". I've used word pictures and Biblical characters to make that expression, but this is no different from many of the great hymn writers and even David himself.

Now the rest, I suppose, is history. There is no mechanism (conspiracy theorists take note!) within the church for making people sing a particular song, or for increasing it's use in the national or international church body. As far as I was concerned the song was for our congregation, on that day and at that time. God obviously had other ideas and it is now sung almost world-wide. Grammatically, there may even be the odd aberration, but thankfully the church has forgiven me that particular shortcoming.

It is an unusual song, for sure. All of these restored things like Justice, Righteousness, Integrity, Unity, Praise and Worship and Revival are considered by many to be a herald of the last days and Christ's return. Personally I don't know - I believe I wrote what God was telling me to write and He seems to have used the song in many ways for many people.

I hope the explanation is clear. The song is, perhaps, a little complex - but I can assure you that this was not deliberate. I have written lots of simple, straightforward hymns and songs covering lots of themes. This song seems to have been used particularly by God in the ministry of Praise and Worship and the themes and pictures it uses seem to have been grasped by God's people all over the world.

A peaceful warrior, gifted storyteller, nature lover, healer, lifelong learner, servant leader, teacher, and a man of God, Mark Edward Gerger lived a life rich in faith, family, and friends. Mark was honest, loyal, gentle, and open-minded. He always did what he believed was right and still accepted others and their choices. A person who led with his heart, Mark welcomed each day as a joyous gift and every person as a friend. He was very loving and generous, enthusiastically seeking opportunities to learn, and never hesitating in lending his gifts and talents in service of others. A devoted husband, father, student, teacher, colleague, neighbor, and friend, Mark inspired all who were blessed to know him.

A man of great honor, Mark felt a calling to law enforcement, becoming a reserve police officer for Portage and an officer in Stevensville. Mark soon enrolled in the police academy and later served with the Mattawan Police Department where he was awarded a department commendation, a nomination for Police Officer of the Year, and a promotion to Detective for solving a string of on-going crimes. While working for Mattawan, he met his future wife Mary when she joined the department. They were united in marriage on February 11th, 1984. In time they were blessed to become parents when their daughter, Sarah, was born.

A lifelong learner, Mark was a seeker of knowledge and eager to share with others. After leaving the police force in 1982, Mark put his masters degree to work at the Upjohn Company and worked in Quality Assurance for over 22 years. In 2007, he began working in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania at Sanofi Pasteur as a Principle Scientist/Statistics within the Quality Control organization. Within a short time, Mark was promoted to Deputy Director of Statistics/Principle Scientist. He worked at Sanofi Pasteur for 16 years, until the time of his passing. Throughout his career, Mark belonged to the American Chemical Society, the American Society for Quality Engineering, the American Statistical Association, and many other professional organizations. Mark was even the author of a key statistical model that is still in use industry-wide today.

In addition to teaching math and science, he taught mystery fiction writing at the Portage Community Education Center. This offered him an opportunity to exercise the more creative side of his brilliant mind. In his later years, Mark trained in energy work and became a Reiki Master healing people and pets, while also training others. One of his favorite experiences involved working with big animals, which he adored. He also earned his Ham Radio Technician license with additional certifications and was very proud to share his call sign: KB3WMN.

From the time Mark was a teen, he was heavily involved in the world of martial arts. Through diligent training over decades, first as a young student with several different Tae Kwon Do schools, and then as a member of the WMTKD Association, he earned his 7th degree black belt and ran his own school for many years. The life-long friendships made through the WMTKD Association were very special to him. Mark always carried the Tenants of Tae Kwon Do in his wallet and lived them every day of his life: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, and Indomitable Spirit. After moving to Pennsylvania in 2007 to work at Sanofi, he continued his passion for martial arts, becoming involved in Tai Chi.

A genuine people person, Mark was incredibly friendly and always excited to reconnect with people from his past. Everyone he taught mattered to him. He learned just as much from them as they did from him. Profoundly interested in people, their passions, and their stories, he made friends of all ages easily. When he would run into someone he knew from years ago, it would inevitably spark lunches, long conversations, and a call to his daughter later, to excitedly recount the tale.

Though our days with him were far too few, every moment we shared with Mark is a gift to be treasured. May we take comfort in our many wonderful memories. May we celebrate the countless ways Mark made the world a better place and touched our lives. May we also remember we have been entrusted to carry his legacy forward. In each moment, we must confidently say, "Yes!" to learning, teaching, connecting, loving, and giving of ourselves in service of others. Together we shall keep his spirit alive, inspiring others as he so inspired us.

Mark touched the lives of so many people and his family would love to hear your favorite stories so they may be preserved, reflected upon, and cherished forever. Please visit his webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com to archive memories, photos, and sign his virtual guestbook.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center FBO Sizzlin' Summer Math and Science Program, 600 W Vine St, Suite 400, Kalamazoo, MI 49008. Make checks payable to KAMSC and note "Summer" in the memo line.

I wrote this piece awhile ago, but never published it. Here, on the eve of Big Mac getting quietly, and unceremoniously booted from the HOF ballot, I figure this is as good a time as any to share my thoughts.

The Nightmare in question, is undoubtedly Mark McGwire's journey from the pinnacle of the sport in 1998, to a can't miss Hall of Famer when he retired, to the poster boy for the steroid guys who will never make the HOF. I think McGwire has gotten a raw deal as the first "steroid guy" to become eligible for the Hall of Fame, and he's borne the brunt of accusations, judgmental voters, misinformation, outright lies, and convenient memories. The same baseball writers who will spend weeks researching an 8-page article on a young baseball phenom who never plays a day in the majors seem incapable of looking at the big picture of Mark McGwire.

And it is a BIG picture. If you want to vote against McGwire because of his "character", then fine, you should at least take a look at ALL the evidence, both good and bad, instead of cherry picking the worst thing you can find about him and stopping there. Raise your hand if you want to be judged solely by the worst thing you've ever done at your job?

Mark McGwire started hitting homeruns in middle school (is that when the steroids started? wink wink) and never stopped until his body just gave out on him. By the time he retired, he was a GIANT in the sport. He was revered and feared like few other hitters (Barry Bonds, obviously). He looked like Paul Bunyan, and had power like Babe Ruth. Another fact conveniently overlooked...even with steroids, you don't get big without spending a TON of time in the weight room. And spending a lot of time in the weight room will make you big without resorting to steroids. So what is lost in the question "how many homeruns would McGwire have hit without steroids", is that McGwire's workout regimen would have gained him a ton of muscle and strength anyway. If someone worked out for several hours a day for 10 years, could they not look like Mark McGwire did in 1997? Ironically, I think the biggest benefit McGwire gained from steroids was not bulk, but health. I think steroids helped him get past his injuries in 93-94 to get back on the field regularly and benefit from his added musculature.

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