Ken & BG Metzger - Enduring Inspiration

Is it possible to write about the success of a man without including the woman who watches his back? Not in my book or even in my blog! This story is about my friend Ken. This story only exists because of his belief in God and the love of his wife. He is who he is because of both of them.

Love endures all things and inspires endurance in others.

I have only known him a short time, maybe a little over a year. I have watched him make an impact on many lives. He is a man of action even when life renders him incapacitated physically. If you know him personally then you know that he has survived the blessing of cancer. Yeah, I just wrote those words and I am staring at them in disbelief. "The blessing of cancer." How can a dreaded disease that destroys life become a blessing?  Only somebody like Ken with faith in God and a wife like BG can make that happen.

We sat the other day and talked during what has become our almost weekly coffee chats. He was telling me about somebody with terminal cancer with an undetermined life expectancy. He urged the man to take somebody with him. Now in the world where I live, that means one gang member would take the life of another gang member. We live in a violent and selfish world. I have watched young people die on the streets of Buffalo. What did Ken mean by telling a dying man to "Take somebody with him?"

Mother Teresa once said: "I used to think it was my job to convert people, it"s not. My job is to love people, love will do the converting." Ken was telling the man to love people, leave a trail of love for people to follow. That's what Ken and BG do, they leave a trail of love for people to follow. You can take people on the trail of love by becoming the love you hope to see in others.  They have children who have become world changers. Each of their children has done something to make an impact on those around them.

All of the seeds in these pumpkins don't add up to all the seeds of love that Ken & BG have planted with their lives.

We live in an imperfect world as an imperfect people. If we focus on the unlimited possibilities of love in front of us, we will leave a trail for others to follow. We become perfected in God's love as He removes our imperfections. If we were to focus on our imperfect past, we would be viewing the world through "Past-Colored Glasses." Ken and BG look for the good in everyone they meet. Growing out of their imperfect past, they have become living testimonies that draw others to God by their actions of love.

When I listen to Ken talk about his wife, I'm filled with admiration. He doesn't use these words, but I can almost envision BG as his Armour Bearer. Actually, they are each others Armour Bearer's. It's a mutual "I've always got your back" kind of love. He praises her and I don't think I've ever heard him utter a negative word about her. I'm not sure of the exact amount of time that they have been together but it's over 3 decades. To stay married that long and raise children is a very formidable task. Sometimes it seems like the powers of nature were designed as destructive forces aimed at families. But God did not design nature that way. He makes butterflies that struggle. He makes diamonds under pressure and stress. He makes pearls out of our irritating ways. Ken and BG have taken the struggle, stress and irritants to become butterflies, diamonds and pearls to each other.

Ken the Author at a Book Signing.

Ken is an Author and a Speaker. If you ever get the chance to buy his books or listen to him speak, don't hesitate. He will take you with him on an unforgettable journey that leads to love. I pray that all marriages would be occupied by Armour Bearers with helmets of salvation leading the way for others to follow a love that endures all things.

Author's Note: Ken's book is called: "The Potter's Perfect Piece."
He is writing several other books including an inspirational book about cancer. Please contact him if you have an inspiring story.

This book will help you to "Take somebody with you."

Brett Stanwich - A Role Model that Children can Trust

The children were in constant motion and engaged in healthy physical exercise. They cheered and smiled as they learned how to play a team sport. For at least one small part of their day, they were able to step away from the rigors of the academic challenges and just have fun. I wonder if it might just be the most important part of their day. What I do know is that the Gym Teacher, Mr. Brett Stanwich is making a huge impact on these young lives in an enormously positive way.

The children look up to Brett and not just because he is much taller than they are. They listen to his commands with a smile. He keeps order amidst a seemingly chaotic gym class. Physical education in it's purest form creates a healthy body that readies the mind for an infusion of knowledge. Brett helps to create an emotional mindset that is conducive to learning.

The actions of Brett as a positive role model become attributes in the children he teaches

 

 

 

 

 

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Brett's Gym Class is never boring. He keeps the young people energized with his creativity. I think the students appreciate the way he changes the opportunities for exercise. He is building trust one student at a time. In a world where trust seems to be a component of erosion, Brett is a "Trust Farmer." He plants seeds of trust in the hearts of his students. If they can learn what healthy trust is, they will learn to teach trust and develop a trusting atmosphere within their school. He is the tree that children can wrap their trust around as they grow.

Buffalo Public School #6 is a better school because Brett Stanwich is a Teacher there. Children will have more opportunities in life because they have a Teacher who cares. Thanks Brett for helping to create A Bright Spot for children.

A Ladder Prayer on the Stairs of a School

As I left my house this morning, I felt compelled to grab a book that my daughter had given me for a Christmas present. The book was "have a little faith" by Mitch Albom. I knew I had read it before but I could not recall what it was about. I thought maybe I could read it between classes during our YWAP Relationship Mentoring Program. With the little book on faith in my hand, I headed out the door.

Upon my arrival at the school I signed in at the main office and then headed upstairs to the second floor Library. As I reached the stairs, I suddenly began to pray. I asked God to make the stairs like a ladder to Heaven. I asked Him to take over today's class and surrendered to whatever needed to happen with the students that day. I smiled to myself as I put a name to my thoughts and called them: "The Ladder Prayer."  The Ladder comes from an old story in the Bible about a man named Jacob having a dream about a ladder resting on the earth and reaching into Heaven. There were angels ascending and descending on the ladder.

I walked into the class and we began to talk about trust. The first class was great as we discussed how trust is broken and how we can build a healthy self trust that will guide us in trusting others. In between classes, I left for a customary trip to Starbucks. I buy a coffee for myself and the Gym Teacher - Brett Stanwich. He is an awesome guy who always has the students active and happy. I left Brett his coffee and headed back up to the Library and I did pray the Ladder Prayer again. I sat down in the Library and opened the book by Mitch Albom. It didn't take me long to realize that I had watched the movie about this book before Christmas. A very dear friend thought that I should watch this movie and we spent a few emotional hours enjoying a deep, deep, true story. Some days just seem to be totally divinely orchestrated.


I flipped through the book and came upon a story about a farmer who loves the word; "maybe." That's another coincidence because my friend uses the word "maybe" a great deal. Here is the story:

A farmer wakes up to find that his horse has run off.
The neighbors come by and say, "Too bad. Such awful luck."
The farmer says, "Maybe."
The next day, the horse returns with a few other horses. The neighbors congratulate the farmer on his reversal of fortune.
"Maybe", the farmer says.
When his son tries to ride one of the new horses, he breaks his leg, and the neighbors offer condolences.
"Maybe," the farmer says.
And the next day, when army officials come to draft the son, and don't take him because of his broken leg-everyone is happy.
"Maybe," the farmer says.

"Mitch goes on to write: I have heard stories like this before. They are beautiful in their simplicity and surrender to the universe. I wonder if I could be attached to something so detached. I don't know. Maybe."

The word "maybe" became part of our discussion for the day. Just maybe that Teacher that you don't like needs a little compassion from you. Just maybe if we build trust in ourselves we can learn who to trust. Just maybe we can instill confidence in ourselves by helping each other. Just maybe. we can learn how to be more positive and believe in the best for each other. Yeah, just maybe we should be open to what the universe has to offer. I thank God I was open to a "Ladder Prayer" this morning because He planned my whole day.



I left the school with a glow and a feeling that this was the best day that we have ever had in this school. The students were totally engaged in a lively and fruitful discussion. Their "Take Away" was filled with positive words as they went on about their day. I sat in my van for a few moments just feeling downright giddy. I noticed the vehicle in front of me had a license plate that matched the first 3 letters of the license plate that my friend has. The same friend who arranged for me to watch the movie with her. Shortly thereafter, I received a text message that contained a Bible verse from Isaiah 1:17 that says:

Learn to do right; seek justice.
   Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
   plead the case of the widow.

That was the final coincidence, on my left wrist is a bracelet with that Verse. I received that bracelet from the same dear friend that had me watch the movie and whose license plate matched the car in front of me. The same dear friend who likes to say "maybe."  Today God turned that "maybe" into "may it be."