Old news. Bad news. Fake news. Sometimes you want to shut down and get no news at all! I aim to change that by focusing on good people doing good works. I visit with artists, educators, civic & spiritual leaders, musicians, business owners, students, volunteers, and everyday citizens who are using their creativity, resources, and talents to bring hope, happiness, and goodness to their corner of the world.
Episodes
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
EP. 65 - The Honor First - Beacon Series Ft. Jenn Budd, Former Senior Border Patrol Agent & Immigration Rights Activist
==========
I often say that we have to walk into the darkened recesses of the cave to find the truth. It’s important to learn what is needed, then light lanterns on our way out, illuminating the way so the next travelers can get to that truth safer, and with less suffering. I was reminded of this metaphor again when I recently spoke with former Senior Border Patrol Agent Jenn Budd as a part of the Beacon series on Find the Good News. Instead of going into the dark cave, we traveled along Jenn’s road to the United States-Mexico border, and her eventual exodus from the organization tasked with patrolling this contentious space between our two countries. I first heard Jenn Budd’s voice through the content stream of Laura Grantham Broussard—who joined me in this important conversation with Jenn—and with each of her interviews I could tell that she had a zeal for shining light on the toxic culture and corruption that has stained the U.S. Border Patrol long before the fervor of politically charged media interest in recent years. In our visit with Jenn, we learned that her dissolution with the U.S. Border Patrol, and her subsequent willingness to step into the breach as an immigration rights activist, did not come without deeply personal pain and suffering. Jenn survived her deeply traumatic ordeal in the U.S. Border Patrol, eventually surviving herself, then transmuting all of that scar tissue into a heart that burns with a passion to help others. Rhetoric regarding immigration, asylum, and the United States-Mexico border has been wielded by powerful voices as political weapons, and the image of a tumultuous border has been manipulated to turn a true humanitarian crisis into a profit source for many struggling communities and greed-driven companies. For many of us, these conversations about the border are based on speculation only, and the voices we are listening to often have little-to-no actual experience with on-the-ground border realities. This is not the case with Jenn Budd. Almost two decades ago, the current of life carried Jenn to the border to protect and patrol, but there was no one there to safeguard her from the very organization she had joined. Now, the tide of time has carried Jenn back to this line between two countries, this area that changed her life, a bitter line that is being used to disrupt the quality of life on both its sides, with cruel decisions that will affect families for many generations to come. She, and others like her, believe in a safe and healthy border that is protected by communities working together, with open hands instead of closed fists, with compassion instead of cruelty, celebrating shared cultures, and working to promote a better border vision for of us. This is our conversation with Jenn Budd.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ON JENN BUDD >> https://www.facebook.com/jenn.budd or https://twitter.com/BuddJenn
==========
FOR MORE INFO ON A NEW BORDER VISION >> http://bit.ly/2WRPqhu
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
•••••••••••••
SULPHUR TODAY >> www.facebook.com/sulphurtoday / #SulphurToday
•••••••••••••
BRIMSTONE MUSEUM >> www.brimstonemuseum.org or Call (337) 527-0357
•••••••••••••
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
Ep. 64 - The Ocean and the Shore Ft. Mary Vaughan - Find the Good News with Oran Parker
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
EP. 64 - The Ocean and the Shore Ft. Mary Vaughan
==========
Breathing. Such a simple action—often taken for granted—yet such an amazing tool to bring us back to an awareness of the present moment. It’s easy to get caught in a half-life between the regrets of the past, or the fears of the future, thoughts cleaved by clinging to one or the other. In the middle lies a state of healing calm waiting with refreshment, ready to heal the sufferings of the past, and sooth the anxiously waiting future by bringing both into the pooling fold of the eternal now. In a culture driven quite mad with the incessant and aggressive longing to pull tomorrow into today ever faster, it is easy to lose awareness and mindfulness, forgetting the blessed-and-always-present breath—the gift of all living beings—that can bring us home. This is the blessing and great charity that Mary Vaughan is bringing into classrooms, to children, reminding them of the precious gift of a calmer present. This is why I asked her to visit me on Find the Good News. Mary brought a gift of incense a calming presence to the Right Round Table. I found her even manner of conversation very relaxing and it put me at ease. Her sharing reminded me again that many times the right people are placed in just-so-particular positions, equipped with life experiences, training, and developed skills that uniquely align with ailments in the world. As a father that is raising children in a world filled to burst with fear and anxiety signals, I always keep a keen eye out for the helpers that arrive, using their days as living breathing beings, to show us a better, healthier, happier way. Mary Vaughan is one of these beings. As a yoga practitioner and instructor, she has found great value in mindfulness meditation exercises, and she puts the right effort into sharing those lessons with children, the human races’ great hope. She shows them the practical application of meditation, the value it brings to their young lives, and offers them a door to the precious present that is as near as their next inhalation. Breathe in, dear friends. Breath. Out.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ON MARY VAUGHAN >> https://www.facebook.com/premascension or https://www.facebook.com/premascension72/
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
•••••••••••••
SULPHUR TODAY >> www.facebook.com/sulphurtoday / #SulphurToday
•••••••••••••
BRIMSTONE MUSEUM >> www.brimstonemuseum.org or Call (337) 527-0357
•••••••••••••
Wednesday Oct 30, 2019
Wednesday Oct 30, 2019
EP. 63 - The Pulpit of Hypocrisy Ft. Darren Paul Hanks
==========
When I moved back home almost 15 years ago I found myself in the Bardo of becoming. Old things in my life were passing away. Familiar relationships had vaporized. New experiences were right in front of me, and with that came new people. I was fortunate in that the gravity of the Bardo drew good people into my life, and one of those people was Darren Paul Hanks. Darren and I were fast friends, immediately finding we had a variety of things in common. We connected over entertainment, comic books, and even worked in the same creative industry. Darren was jolly, and a willing helper, sensing the needs of others and selflessly offering assistance in whatever capacity he could help. Years passed by, our circle of friends grew, and when Darren would arrive you knew that a certain type of joy and love had arrived as well, no matter what we were doing. Time passes, and things change, and friend groups dissolve, but many of the bonds are forged of more resilient materials. That’s the type of friend bond I feel with Darren Hanks, the kind that survives as the world around us changes. I’ve held Darren in high regard for a long time. He has seen my children grow. He stood beside me as my best man when I married Michelle. He loved us as we welcomed a new child into the world. He’s a good man, so I wasn’t surprised when many people asked me to bring him in for a visit on Find the Good News, not even realizing that I had a long, pre-existing relationship with the man. I learned many things I did not know about this man, my friend. For all the love that he shares with the world through his personal 1221 Studio brand, Darren has struggled for so long to find love for himself. So much of this great love for others has come from a deep-seated and skewed personal view of himself. In sharing his love for others through his open-door art nights and art drops, Darren has settled into the best version of who he is, and has found comfort—even love—for this man that he has become. While he often says that he speaks from the pulpit of hypocrisy, I tend to believe that he instead speaks from the truth derived from true honesty about himself. Darren does the hard work, the deep looking, the wrestling, the digging, the heart-and-mind work that we should all do. While he’s busy working on his life, he still makes time to reach out to others. The wheel of time will turn again, and the Bardo of becoming will continue to bring change, but I have this sense that my friendship with Darren will be there through it all. He is an encouragement for anyone that has ever had a negative view of themselves, a reminder that we can all change our minds and hearts, and I am so happy to call him my good friend.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ON DARREN PAUL HANKS & 1221 STUDIO >> https://www.facebook.com/DarrenH1221 or https://www.facebook.com/DarrenPaulHanks/
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
•••••••••••••
SULPHUR TODAY >> www.facebook.com/sulphurtoday / #SulphurToday
•••••••••••••
BRIMSTONE MUSEUM >> www.brimstonemuseum.org or Call (337) 527-0357
•••••••••••••
Saturday Oct 26, 2019
Find the Good News Journal - Entry 5 - The Rising and Falling - with Oran Parker
Saturday Oct 26, 2019
Saturday Oct 26, 2019
Find the Good News Journal - Entry 5 - The Rising and Falling w/Oran Parker
In this Find the Good News Journal Entry I talk about the breath of life, the light in our eyes, and I share three important experiences with breathing that are firmly planted in my heart.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
Wednesday Oct 23, 2019
Ep. 62 - The Arrow of Life Ft. Shelley Johnson - Find the Good News with Oran Parker
Wednesday Oct 23, 2019
Wednesday Oct 23, 2019
EP. 62 - The Arrow of Life Ft. Shelley Johnson
==========
There are people that change your life in profound ways, and yet many never really know they had such an impact. For me, former Executive Director of the Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, Shelley Johnson, is one of those people. This year, Shelley retired from her position after 30 years of service to our region, leaving behind a legacy of positive growth in travel and tourism that will be felt for decades to come. In my professional circles, her name carried weight. Working with her and her team meant something to those with whom I took meetings. In a professional capacity, my team and I have been honored to have been trusted by Shelley Johnson and her staff to craft enticing and attractive adverts, each designed to bring visitors to our area. As much as I respected her professionally, when I asked Shelley to visit me on Find the Good News, my intentions were very personal. You see, for all of these years of working with Shelley and her team, I’ve never had the opportunity to visit with Shelley one-on-one outside of the tour and travel environment. If you listen to this show often enough you’ll understand that I was more than a little curious to know her story. What I discovered in my visit with Shelley was a kindness, a passion, and a great love for this region she calls home. In her 30 years of travels, from meetings with public figures across the entire spectrum, and to places one might long to see, Shelley always felt the grass was greenest right here in Southwest Louisiana, and that kindness is embedded in our culture. What I discovered in my visit with Shelley is that she was tailor-made for this incredible job of extreme hospitality, the trajectory of her childhood on into her adult life pointed her squarely at the role, providing the skills, training, and expertise needed to build the Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau into the entity it is today. If you’ve been to any event in any of the sister cities that make up our region, then you’ve been impacted by the arrow of Shelley Johnson’s life. She was kind, honest, thoughtful, and so giving in our conversation. With the tone of every word I could tell she truly enjoys sharing the wonders of our home. It’s not hard to find echoes of Shelley Johnson’s service in Southwest Louisiana. I believe her lasting legacy will be the transference of her general perspective on our area. Her infectious conviction is that not only has Southwest Louisiana seen great days, but it has even more glorious days yet to see.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ON THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU VISIT >> https://www.visitlakecharles.org/
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
•••••••••••••
SULPHUR TODAY >> www.facebook.com/sulphurtoday / #SulphurToday
•••••••••••••
BRIMSTONE MUSEUM >> www.brimstonemuseum.org or Call (337) 527-0357
•••••••••••••
Monday Oct 21, 2019
LIVE - FIND THE GOOD NEWS - FT. SOUTHERN CAST IRON COOK-OFF
Monday Oct 21, 2019
Monday Oct 21, 2019
HOSTED BY Oran Parker & Jengi Miller (of Louise E. Anna Creations by Jengi)
In this episode of Find the Good News we went LIVE with Daniel Schumacher (Editorial Director, Louisiana Cookin' & Editor, Taste of the South) and Chef Lyle Broussard (Jack Daniel's® Bar & Grill at L'auberge).
They talked about the upcoming Southern Cast Iron Cook-Off taking place November 1–2, 2019, in Lake Charles, Louisiana!
We jammed on skillets, dutch ovens, vintage cast iron, cast iron care, savory recipes, history, and what all the foodie + cast iron enthusiasts can expect at the inaugural Southern Cast Iron Cook-Off event.
Daniel and Chef Lyle jumped from the frying pan into the LIVE WIRE CHALLENGE & LIGHTNING ROUND, so there were some ZZZZAPS to go along with all those sizzles.
- - - -
EVENT FEATURES:
The Southern Cast Iron Cook-Off, takes place Nov. 1 & 2, 2019 at the Lake Charles Civic Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana!
- General Admission: $15
- VIP Tickets: $65
- Children (12 and under): FREE!
- Live Music
- Cast Iron Expo
- Cast Iron Cooking Demonstrations
- Farmer's Market
- Artisan Cast Iron Vendors
- Professional and Amateur Cook-Offs
- Local Cuisine
FOR MORE INFO SOUTHERN CAST IRON COOK-OFF & TICKETS >> https://www.southerncastiron.com/southern-cast-iron-cook-off/
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
LIVE - FIND THE GOOD NEWS - FT. MONSTER DASH 1K AND FUN RUN
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
HOSTED BY Oran Parker & Mike Brignac (of the Feeling Twisty Podcast)
In this episode of Find the Good News we go LIVE with Amanda Yellott & Reginal Larkins of the Whistle Stop & DanceSport. They talk about their youth dance programs and their upcoming fundraiser event, The 2nd Annual Monster Dash at the Grove/Heritage Square in Sulphur, Louisiana this Saturday, October 19, 2019.
Amanda and Reginald were fun guests and really good "dance sports" when it came time to take the LIVE WIRE CHALLENGE & LIGHTNING ROUND!
- - - -
EVENT FEATURES:
The 2nd Annual Monster Dash, takes place Oct. 19, 2019 at the Grove/Heritage Square in Sulphur, Louisiana!
• Sign-up starts at 8am.
• Events will be from 8:30am to 3pm.
• Events include 1k run, Fun Run, Relay Races, Costume Contests, and Music!
Proceeds benefit Whistle Stop/DanceSport
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE MONSTER DASH >> https://www.facebook.com/events/734182083686859/
==========
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT WHISTLE STOP / DANCESPORT >> https://www.facebook.com/dancesportswla/
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
EP. 61 - The Next Breath Ft. Jody Barrilleaux and Ted Thibodeaux of HALOS
==========
So many lives in Calcasieu Parish have been touched by suicide, and when we look at the rising statistics we don’t really find many answers as to why. Those left behind are left to wonder what went wrong, or what they could have done to make a difference. Suicide leaves so many unanswered questions and feelings that run the entire emotional spectrum, leaving survivors looking for hope and healing. The particular type of grief that suicide places on the friends and loved ones left behind is so particular and so heavy. Often, those who remain live from breath-to-breath. This is where HALOS—which stands for Healing After A Loved One’s Suicide—is exactly the saving grace that many are seeking. Core members of HALOS, Jody Barrilleaux and Ted Thibodeaux, were gracious enough to come and visit me on Find the Good News, allowing this little podcast to be a small extension of their shining light. Having both lost dear and close family members to suicide, Ted and Jody know first hand the fear, sorrow, anger, grief, and confusion that family and friends are left with when a loved one dies by suicide. Through HALOS, Ted, Jody, and others have created a loving, safe, and exposed heart-space that allows those grieving to share their pains, tell their stories and say the names of their loved ones out loud. With time and exposure to others in the HALOS groups healing after suicide can begin, and though a loved one may have been lost, the survivors never have to be alone. Death by suicide can make those that remain feel as though their light was taken away, but through the work of Jody, Ted, and others in the HALOS groups sharing their love and experiential understanding, many have found their way back to brighter days.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ON HALOS >> https://www.facebook.com/groups/547617865385244/
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
•••••••••••••
SULPHUR TODAY >> www.facebook.com/sulphurtoday / #SulphurToday
•••••••••••••
BRIMSTONE MUSEUM >> www.brimstonemuseum.org or Call (337) 527-0357
•••••••••••••
Sunday Oct 13, 2019
Find the Good News Journal - Entry 4 - The Tea Kettle - with Oran Parker
Sunday Oct 13, 2019
Sunday Oct 13, 2019
Find the Good News Journal - Entry 4 - The Tea Kettle w/Oran Parker
In this Find the Good News Journal Entry I talk about righteous anger, the passage of time, the law of impermanence, and using boiling feelings to make tea.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
Wednesday Oct 09, 2019
Wednesday Oct 09, 2019
EP. 60 - The Free Fall Ft. Lydia Fruge and Kyle Mestayer
==========
I never planned on producing podcasts for other people when I dreamed up Find the Good News, but when I met Lydia Fruge and Kyle Mestayer, both young lenders at bank FNBD, I could see that they had a particular passion for people’s stories and the gift needed to carry an ongoing podcat—the ability to move a conversation into exciting territory. It might be very easy to feel a little blasé when it comes to talking dollars and cents, but after producing their first episode of the Tower Hour, I knew there was nothing bland about this dynamic duo, nor the conversations they were going to have with their local guests. The Tower Hour podcast is now 10 episodes strong, with several more recorded for launch, and even more scheduled for the future. The guests are interesting, sharing their hopes, dreams, plans, and pitfalls with Lydia and Kyle. They explore very personal territory, and what I’ve discovered is that tales of dollars and cents are often painted with wonderful colors, adorned with the details that travel in the tailwind of a human life. Their guests provide fresh perspectives on entrepreneurship, each with their own unique motivation and advice. So often, we only see a brand from outside the package, but Lydia and Kyle provide a fresh look from inside the container, taking each guest on a series of free fall questions designed to give listeners a peek inside their hearts and minds. I have enjoyed getting to know these young bank FNBD bankers. They have positive energy and seem genuinely motivated to help people through their service. More than that, I find satisfaction in working with them on their podcast, the Tower Hour, and I look forward to sitting silently during their guest interviews, absorbing each and every word, and I believe you will too.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ON BANK FNBD >> www.bankFNBD.com
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
•••••••••••••
SULPHUR TODAY >> www.facebook.com/sulphurtoday / #SulphurToday
•••••••••••••
BRIMSTONE MUSEUM >> www.brimstonemuseum.org or Call (337) 527-0357
•••••••••••••
Sunday Oct 06, 2019
Find the Good News Journal - Entry 3 - The Good Magnet - with Oran Parker
Sunday Oct 06, 2019
Sunday Oct 06, 2019
Find the Good News Journal - Entry 3 - The Good Magnet w/Oran Parker
In this Find the Good News Journal Entry I take on a Sunday morning reflection to Maplewood Commons in Sulphur, Louisiana. We all take vows in some form or fashion. We bind ourselves to things for many reasons. Today I talk about stickers, glue, magnets, adhesives, patches, thread, and how the evidence of those things often remain long after they are gone.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
Saturday Oct 05, 2019
Find the Good News Journal - Entry 2 - The Nestea Plunge - with Oran Parker
Saturday Oct 05, 2019
Saturday Oct 05, 2019
Find the Good News Journal - Entry 2 - The Nestea Plunge w/Oran Parker
In this Find the Good News Journal Entry I take you on my morning reflection at Mimosa Pines Cemetery in Carlyss, Louisiana. I talk about the Feasts of Saint Francis and Saint Faustina (and I admittedly screw up the day of Francis's Feast). I share my thoughts on the incredible display of love and mercy in a Dallas, Texas courtroom this week, and what the Divine Mercy means to me. I hope you'll join me inside this journal entry beneath the trees at Mimosa Pines.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
LIVE - Find the Good News - Ft. The Lake Charles Film Festival
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
HOSTED BY Oran Parker & Thom Trahan (of the Brimstone Historical Society)
In this episode of Find the Good News we go LIVE with Patrick Shawn Bennett of the Lake Charles Film Festival, an event that features films by Louisiana based indie filmmakers.
Patrick was joined by Braylin Jenkins, the emcee of this year's event.
Patrick talks about the value of this amazing event, his love of filmmaking, resources for aspiring filmmakers, and encourages people to get out there and create!
DON'T FORGET THE LIVE WIRE CHALLENGE & LIGHTNING ROUND!
- - - -
EVENT FEATURES:
The Lake Charles Film & Music Festival, is a FREE EVENT taking place Oct. 4-5, 2019 at the Brimstone Museum & Henning Cultural Center in Sulphur, Louisiana!
On-site celebrity Guests of Honor are Michael Gray and John Davey from TV's "Shazam!"
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE LAKE CHARLES FILM FESTIVAL >> https://www.facebook.com/LCfilmfest/
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
Wednesday Oct 02, 2019
Ep. 59 - The Right Round Table - Mixtape Vol. 2 - Find the Good News with Oran Parker
Wednesday Oct 02, 2019
Wednesday Oct 02, 2019
1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EPISODE
==========
A little over a year ago I came back from a personal retreat and sat down with my creative crew to tell them about something I wanted to do. After reflecting on the state of my mind, my work, and the actual tangible good I was or was not doing through my trade, I had decided that I wanted to change the rules we’d been operating by, and create a signal all our own, a channel, a stream, that was focused on finding and sharing the good. In short, I wanted to stand under this wide umbrella of goodness and take a hard 360-degree look at the community I live in, and invite others to join me under this canopy to share their stories of good works, in all their varieties and colors. More than that, I wanted to feel the sacred hearts that were beating behind these works, and hopefully, through deep listening, curiosity, intimacy, and conversation, I would get to hear the stories, thoughts, fears, hopes, dreams, inspirations, successes, and struggles that shaped these good people to do the good works they were doing. The show would be a podcast produced by the Parker Brand Creative Services team, leaning heavily on our 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, and design. The original name I’d come up with was “Find the Good.” As luck would have it, the name was taken, and so was the domain, but we happened upon the domain FindTheGood.News, so the official name of the pod, “Find the Good News” was created. We created some fun graphics to play with, outlined our format, and started inviting good people on the show,… and they came. Then, more good people showed up. Before long I was doing exactly what the introduction to the show stated. I was visiting with artists, educators, business owners, civic and spiritual leaders, and everyday citizens that were working to bring hope and happiness to their corners of the world. Find the Good News expanded into Road Trips, Mixtapes, round tables, and LIVE episodes. Listenership has grown, and with each conversation, my understanding, awareness, and happiness have grown as well. Producing Find the Good News has touched me on every dimension. I’ve laughed and cried with guests, and each one has left me to think deeply on our talk long after the microphones have powered down. After a full year of Find the Good News, what I know as truth is this; good news doesn’t wear one face. Good News looks like all of the people that have shared their hearts and minds at the Right Round Table and those that are yet to come. This show doesn’t happen without each and every one of these Good Newsies taking their time to do their good work, and then talk about it with me. I’m humbled by each one them. They are my teachers, and I’m so glad to have each of them in my personal history. To you, the listeners, I say thank you for putting your ears on each week and turning your dial to this show. There’s a lot of news in the world, and you’re choosing to find the good.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
•••••••••••••
BRIMSTONE MUSEUM >> www.brimstonemuseum.org or Call (337) 527-0357
•••••••••••••
Sunday Sep 29, 2019
Sunday Sep 29, 2019
Find the Good News Journal - Entry 1 - The Laughing Buddha w/Oran Parker
In this Find the Good News Journal Entry I take you on my morning prayer and meditation walk to the Maplewood Commons in Sulphur, Louisiana. I talk about the past year of Good News, where goodness comes from, attending Julia O'Carroll's Tea at Walden journaling workshop, forgiveness, resentment, what the best version of me looks like, and what the road to my best self is paved with. I touch on Christianity, Buddhism, and where my spiritual life falls on that spectrum. This is what Find the Good News looks like when I'm talking to you instead of my guests. I hope that this journal entry will be of value to someone on their way.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
Ep. 58 - The Poured Heart Ft. Chance Savant - Find the Good News with Oran Parker
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
Openness. Truth. Honesty. The best stories are made up of these things, and I think that’s the holy trinity of what makes Find the Good News so unique. Each guest has come in here with their openness, truth, and honesty, and for those affiliated with programs, groups, businesses, or non-profits, their truth is tightly wound within the essence of their affiliation. I don’t say this lightly. I’ve seen it over-and-over again with individuals that have come to the Right Round Table. I witnessed it again when Chance Savant—a representative of NAMI Southwest Louisiana—came to visit me on Find the Good News. When I made my initial list of organizations to invite on the show, NAMI was at the top. As can often be the case, the plans we make are superseded by the natural momentum that forms when time and actions march on. Chance coming in to talk about NAMI—almost one year later—reminded me that making space for something to happen, increases the odds of its occurrence. NAMI Southwest Louisiana is an incredible resource for individuals and families that live with mental illness, providing information, resources, and peer-lead groups. For some with a mental illness, NAMI Southwest Louisiana can often offer assistance with housing and some medications. Most importantly, NAMI Southwest Louisiana creates a safe space for people with mental illness to be heard. Being heard, as Chance shared, is often the first step on the road to living a whole and happy life. While we did talk about NAMI, it was Chance’s personal testimony that opened the shutters and let the light in. This young man took me to periods in his life where depression and anxiety firmly gripped his day-to-day. On this journey, he showed me the healthy way out, the value of presence, deep listening, and reminded me of the healing power of personal sharing. He opened his heart to me, and to you, and in pouring out his truth, his words can bring solace to others. This is the great medicine telling our stories. This is the healing hope of finding and sharing the good news.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT CHANCE SAVANT & NAMI SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA >> https://www.facebook.com/chance.savant.3 or https://www.namiswla.org/
==========
CALL THE NAMI SWLA WARM LINE >> 337-433-2500
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
•••••••••••••
FRESH FUEL >> www.TheFreshFuel.com or www.facebook.com/thefreshfuel
•••••••••••••
WHISTLE STOP DANCESPORT >> Call (337) 515-7577
•••••••••••••
BRIMSTONE MUSEUM >> www.brimstonemuseum.org or Call (337) 527-0357
•••••••••••••
Wednesday Sep 18, 2019
Wednesday Sep 18, 2019
Ever since I started producing Find the Good News, I've wanted to do an episode that was explicitly about fathers and their sons. One thing I've never tried to do with this show is to force my energy in a specific direction. I have found that allowing guests to flow through naturally has allowed this signal to become what it's supposed to be, whatever that means. It's still a mystery. Recently, a series of auspicious circumstances placed me in the right place at the right time to hear the most lovely music being emitted by the flittering phalanges of Jack Harrell at Stellar Bean in Lake Charles, and there at a nearby table was Jack's father, Richard, who happened to be an old friend of mine from high school that I'd not spoken to in many years. As luck would have it, Jack and my son were in the Sulphur High School Marching Band together. Suddenly, it all clicked. I started having all of these visual memories of Richard sitting in the stands. I assumed he was there to watch the game, but as I thought on it further, I realized I'd seen him after the games as well, waiting for the marching band to do their after-game performance. If you're a band parent, you know how much these performances mean to the kids. All of that came rushing into my mind, all the nodes connected, and I knew I'd found my father and son. Our conversation went exactly as I'd hoped. We talk about love, the challenges of raising a good human being in this world, and the way a relationship between parent and child evolves over time. Richard and Jack were literally as far apart as two terrestrial beings could be, and somehow they ended up together in this relationship that continues to unfold in new ways every single day. I learned that relationships are going to change, especially those between a parent and their child, but change doesn't mean it has to grow cold. What I learned is that love makes you willing to be there when the change occurs, and it prepares you to bend when the flux occurs. Jack may be the one who plays the piano, but it's their relationship that helped birth the music. If you're a parent or considering becoming one, listen to this father and son visit and share with me, and make sure you stick around… because Jack brought his piano to the Good News studio, and that means you're in store for a musical treat.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT RICHARD and JACK HARRELL >> https://www.facebook.com/Retr0pian0-111539696901593/
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
•••••••••••••
FRESH FUEL >> www.TheFreshFuel.com or www.facebook.com/thefreshfuel
•••••••••••••
WHISTLE STOP DANCESPORT >> Call (337) 515-7577
•••••••••••••
BRIMSTONE MUSEUM >> www.brimstonemuseum.org or Call (337) 527-0357
•••••••••••••
Wednesday Sep 11, 2019
Wednesday Sep 11, 2019
It’s not easy for me to avert my gaze when I see someone in needs, especially the homeless or food impoverished. If you’ve listened to this show, then you know that images of the hungry affected me deeply when I was a little boy, and those photos haunt the hallways of my mind every single day. Still, being haunted by something doesn’t always motivate one to take action. I won’t lie to you and say that I’ve always helped or given, no matter how heavy my heart may have felt. Perhaps this is why I am humbled when I meet people who have said yes when the call to serve is placed on their heart, who go do the work even if circumstances aren’t favorable for them to do so. This is what I saw with my own eyes when I visited with Kelli Stawecki at the Waters Edge food pantry in Lake Charles, Louisiana for this Road Trip edition of Find the Good News. Like many, I had heard about the Waters Edge food pantry, understanding that they were serving the needs of the food impoverished and homeless in Southwest Louisiana, but what I didn’t grasp was the swelling number of homeless and impoverished in our area. While headlines boast an economic boom, there are families and individuals that cannot provide the basic needs for their children, or for themselves. While the needs increase, and resources decrease, Kelli Stawecki and the volunteers at the Waters Edge food pantry continue to arrive and serve food and supplies to those in need, but their hearts are bigger than even that. By allowing me to come and film, Kelli invited me into the presence of what I can only call the Loving Heart of God, burning hot with compassion. Many times throughout the day, I simply stood stunned by the waves of mercy I witnessed, and the eyes of gratitude that looked back from those being served. I felt the great blanket of equanimity in this space, and on the faces of each servant, I saw smiles, true joy. Kelli Stawecki and the volunteers at Waters Edge may be offering full bellies for those that enter the doors of their converted sanctuary, but if the love that expanded in my heart was any indication, then I believe those being served leave filled with something that of immeasurable value. They learn that they are seen and loved, that their existence matters. They are reminded that humanity is still good, no matter how hard the world may seem. This is the Good News I have been seeking, and I have found it yet again in Kelli Stawecki and the good people at Waters Edge.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT KELLI STAWECKI & WATERS EDGE >>https://www.facebook.com/kelli.stawecki or https://www.facebook.com/watersedgelc/
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
•••••••••••••
FRESH FUEL >> www.TheFreshFuel.com or www.facebook.com/thefreshfuel
•••••••••••••
WHISTLE STOP DANCESPORT >> Call (337) 515-7577
•••••••••••••
BRIMSTONE MUSEUM >> www.brimstonemuseum.org or Call (337) 527-0357
•••••••••••••
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
LIVE - FIND THE GOOD NEWS - FT. THE HORROR AND HOPS PODCAST
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
HOSTED BY Oran Parker & Morgan Allain (The Inkling Girl)
In this episode of Find the Good News we go LIVE with Kevin Lambert, Thunder John, and Kevin Johnson of the Horror and Hops Podcast, a show about good horror movies, great beers, and even better friends. They talk about the origins of their show, their favorite scary movies, and their upcoming LIVE event at Crying Eagle on September, Friday the 13th, 2019!
- - - -
EVENT FEATURES:
6-10pm at Crying Eagle Brewing Co. in Lake Charles, Louisiana
No Cover / Free Event (Buy Your Own Beer at Crying Eagle)
LIVE podcast before and after the screening of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
Listen to the Horror and Hops Podcast on all the best podcast platforms.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT HORROR AND HOPS PODCAST & THEIR EVENT >> https://www.facebook.com/horrorandhopspodcast/ or https://www.facebook.com/events/229013261349674/
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
Wednesday Sep 04, 2019
Ep. 55 - The Lawnmower Ft. Jengi Miller - Find the Good News with Oran Parker
Wednesday Sep 04, 2019
Wednesday Sep 04, 2019
Like you, I’ve looked at a lot of artwork in my life. It comes in all shapes and sizes, and more often than not each work’s beauty is relevant to the particular eye of the beholder. We see it, process it, gauge it, place it somewhere on our value spectrum, often within the first moments of exposure. What most pieces don’t reveal to us is the story of the artist, the textures of their life. This is the treasure I received when I sat down to visit with Jengi Miller, artist & owner of Louise E. Anna Creations located inside Flock of Five Art Emporium in Sulphur, Louisiana. Jengi is an artist, a creator, that gives old and discarded objects a second life through creative adornments, modifications, pairing, and painting techniques. Not unlike Jengi, many of these possessions have stories of their own, and if they could talk they would likely weave tales of joy, sorrow, love, and loss. Unlike the art she creates, Jengi can share her story, giving new meaning to the passion she puts into her work. Hers is a story of impermanence, change, and rebirth, building a new person on the framework of an old life. It’s a story of a life, death, living with the memories of what came before, embracing all of the pains those memories bring and transmuting them into the energy to shape something new. Jengi Miller has taken the parts and pieces of her life, snipping and tossing what didn’t fit, added new things that did, and created a version of herself that is healthier, happier, and able to greet each tomorrow with eagerness and genuine joy. Jengi hasn’t forgotten her losses and pains. She honors them through her transformative artwork, in the rebuilding and repurposing of lost and disregarded things. Perhaps we all carry around old objects inside ourselves, things we’re hanging onto that are only taking up space in our minds and hearts, weighing heavy on our spirits. Maybe, like Jengi, we can find a way to transform them, enshrine them with love, and give new meaning to our lives in the process.
==========
SUPPORT FIND THE GOOD NEWS ON PATREON >> www.Patreon.com/FindTheGoodNews
==========
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT JENGI MILLER & LOUISE E. ANNE CREATIONS BY JENGI >>https://www.facebook.com/jengi.miller or https://www.facebook.com/louiseeannacreationsbyjengi/
==========
FIND THE GOOD NEWS IS PRODUCED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com
==========
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
•••••••••••••
FRESH FUEL >> www.TheFreshFuel.com or www.facebook.com/thefreshfuel
•••••••••••••
WHISTLE STOP DANCESPORT >> Call (337) 515-7577
•••••••••••••
BRIMSTONE MUSEUM >> www.brimstonemuseum.org or Call (337) 527-0357
•••••••••••••