It was sometime in the late 1980s.
       I was working as an assistant route manager in the circulation department at the Tulsa World and Tulsa Tribune newspapers in my hometown of Tulsa. My job was to make sure the morning and evening newspapers were delivered to the customers on time. 
      There was gentleman that I befriended who I met in one of the apartment complexes while delivering newspapers. He was kind man who lived alone.
       He may have been a Veteran. He had a hard life that included dipping into the bottle.
       At some point during his life, he was a photographer. 
    Later on, he gave me some of his darkroom equipment he had in a storage building and some old negatives that I still have stuffed in a book.
      Anyway, I don’t recall the year, only that it was a few days before Christmas. I knew he was low on funds. I stopped at a local grocery store and bought him a few groceries. I think there was flour, sugar, salt and pepper, bread, canned foods, coffee, bacon and potatoes. The necessities.
    I pulled up to his apartment, which was street level. I knocked on the door and he opened it, inviting me inside.
    “Ho, Ho, Ho,” I said. “Santa brought you a gift,” I added while unloading the groceries and sitting them on his kitchen table.
     Almost in disbelief, he put his burly arms around me and gave me the biggest bear hug I have ever had as tears welled up in his eyes.
     I knew he appreciated it and it gave joy to my heart to do something good for this man.
    I don’t know what happened to him as that was nearly 35-years ago. It was one of those moments in my life that I will never forget.
    I’ve reached out to many people in the years since, but that one experience lives in my memory. 
    And I’ve had people reach out to me along life’s way.
   I remember when I was college at the University of Missouri-Columbia. I had stayed up half the night studying and was home in my duplex sleeping when the phone rang. It was a colleague at the university who called to let me know that his church had taken up an offering and they wanted to give me $100. “How can I get this to you?” he asked.
    I met him at the university later that day. What a blessing. It was enough money to buy a pair of much-needed new shoes.
    That reminds of the importance of doing good for others and finding the positives in life. They are there. Sometimes you have to do a little digging.
     That’s the theme that Debbie and I are taking with us into the new year.
Make 2022 the best year yet
     With the new year on our doorsteps, here are some tips to make 2022 the best year ever.
   • No matter your background or experiences, you can turn your life around in 2022 and change the direction from negative to positive. 
    • Your dreams are possible – just don’t give up, no matter what has happened or what others say or think about you.
    • Your past is not your future.
    • When challenges come, just keep on walking. 
    • When negative thoughts come, and they will, take a moment and turn off your mind. Shut off your phone and the internet and think of one good thing in your life that has happened. It could be something as simple as a goal you reached or an honor you received along the way. It can be anything, big or small. Write it on a piece of paper and start dwelling on it. I guarantee you will start remembering other good things that have happened to you. 
    • Read positive things. I like the scripture in the Bible and daily words of encouragement.
  • Do something good for someone else. It could be as simple as taking a few moments to stop at a neighbor’s house and check on them. Maybe they need the yard mowed or an errand run. Ask or offer your help. I’m sure they will invite you for a glass of iced cold tea and a snack.
   • Turn off the news and find something good to focus on. I call it a stress and worry reliver. You don’t have to know everything that is going on in the world or who said this or said that. These people are not in charge.
    • And most importantly, say thank you and please.
    • Get involved in a neighborhood group or a cause that helps others.
    • Host a fundraiser and give the money to a worthy cause that helps others.
    • Go out in the new year and make a difference in your life, your neighborhood, school, church, job, grocery store, mall, restaurant and even at the gas pump.
    Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always.

     ​I’ve shared through the years many Christmas memories in the Parker house. One that I don’t recall mentioning was the Living Christmas Tree at the First Baptist Church in Tulsa.
      The Southern Baptist affiliated church featured a large sanctuary and every year, the chairs in the choir loft were removed and the floor to ceiling Christmas tree was put into place.
       Choir members, dressed in their robes, would climb the stairs and fill the rows around the tree. The lights on the tree would come on and the sanctuary would come alive with the sights and sounds of the Christmas season.
       I sang in the choir as a youngster and I took part in one of the Living Christmas Tree productions while in high school. I am thankful it was not a speaking role. I think I carried gifts into the sanctuary.
       The church started the production sometime in the early 1970s and it went on for a number of years. 
As a youngster, I participated in RAs (Royal Ambassadors) at church, a group for young men based on the Boy Scout model with a Biblical perspective.
     Every fall, the RAs would take the church bus to the John Zink Ranch north of Tulsa. We hiked into the rugged woods and climbed rocky ledges. The day was filled with Bible study and topped off with a hobo meal of hamburger, onion, potatoes and carrots, which we made and cooked over open coals.
     As I got older, I enjoyed sneaking out of the Sunday morning service and spending time with the custodians on staff. I found a chair in the boiler room and visited with the custodians as the pastor preached on the radio.
       For a number of years, I helped out in the audio visual room with Mr. Ed on Sunday mornings. I helped take down the microphones after the service and a few times, I got to run the television cameras during the Sunday service.
      The church shared the cameras with three other churches in Tulsa. Each church used the cameras for three months and then they moved on to the next church.
      I remember one time while operating the camera on air I fell asleep during the service. Mr. Ed in the sound booth was un able to wake me from my slumber. It was kind of embarrassing.
         The church served a meal on Wednesday evenings and my mom, brother and I usually ate supper there. The rolls were the best part. They were so good with butter.
       When I got into high school, my good friend Rob and I would skip the church meal and walk several blocks to the Coney-I-Lander for three Coney’s with cheese, chips and a cold Pepsi. The restaurant featured old wooden school benches that served as seats. 
         Outside of church, I took piano lessons starting in the second grade. My cousin Mary Gail Jackson was my first teacher. I later took lessons from Mrs. Murry, who lived west of Downtown Tulsa. My mom saved money from babysitting and bought a piano for me to play.
I stayed with the piano at least through sixth grade, maybe a year longer, before losing interest. 
        I learned how to play Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World,” and the Beatles’ “Hey Jude.” I also mastered Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus,” all of which I played in spring recitals.
        Looking back, I kind of wish I hadn’t given piano up. I often remind myself that it’s never too late to start again.
      Back to Christmas. It was my job each year to decorate the Christmas tree in my boyhood home. We always bought a live tree. I set up the tree, decorated it and placed the family manger scene at the base. I still have the manger and the figurines of Joseph, Mary, the Baby Jesus, the Shepherds and Wisemen, which my Mom bought at the local TG&Y Five and Dime store. I think she paid a dollar for the manger scene and no more than a dollar for each of the figurines.
       I entered some of the figurines in the antique division at the Iowa State Fair this year. I didn’t win a ribbon with the manger figurines, but did win four other ribbons for antiques I entered.
        Anyway, the manger is in rough shape these days. I’m hoping to have a local craftsman build me a new manger that looks similar. I have a lot of great memories and I hope your Christmas is filled memorable moments, too. 
         Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always.

      Growing up, I had a number of kitty cats. I gave them various names through the years. One I named Tiger and another I named Snowball. Snowball was almost pure white.
       Another cat I had was named Kittymaus Cat. I’m not sure on the spelling or even how I came up with the name. It was born with no tail and my parents got it from some friends at the First Baptist Church.
      A few years after marrying Debbie, we got our first dog. We promptly named him, Rex, after my aunt’s border collie. Later on, I figured out that Rex was actually the name of my uncle’s border collie. My aunt’s dog was Danny. I liked them both and have fond memories of being around them as a youngster.
       Five years ago, we purchased three mini horse from a family in Benton County. They are Sophie, Gazer and Harmony and are all precious to us.
     We have also had a number cats with names such as Smokey, Sooner, Gizmo, Hercules and Princess Buttercup. We have an outside Tom cat who keeps the mice at bay. We love the little fellow, who we affectionally named Oscar, because he loves to get into the dumpster. I enjoy giving him rub downs when he comes around.
       Anyway, I was driving home the other day listening to the radio when the announcer started talking about popular pet names. He referred to the top dog names for 2021, according to submissions from Rover.com readers. I checked it out and here some of the most popular pet names according to the website article. 
Top dog names
     Female: Bella, Luna, Lucy, Daizy, Zoe, Lily, Lola, Bailey, Stella, Molly; Male: Max, Charlie, Milo, Buddy, Rocky, Bear, Leo, Duke, Teddy, Tucker
Top cat names
     Female: Luna, Bella, Lily, Lucy, Nala, Kitty, Chloe, Stella, Zoe, Lola; Male: Oliver, Leo, Milo, Charlie, Max, Simba, Jack, Loki, Ollie, Jasper
     The article went to share the top trending dog names such as Grogu from “The Mandalorian” and Raya from “Raya and the Dragon.”
    And there are even celebrity-inspired pet names such as Bozeman, Chadwick, Oprah and Yeezy. And sports/Olympic-inspired names including DK, in honor of Seattle Seahawks wideout, DK Metcalf; Kittle, named in honor of San Francisco 49ers tight end, George Kittle. And my Kansas City friends should consider naming their next pet, Mahomes, in honor of the Chief’s quarterback. How about Gronk, in honor of former Patriot and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end, Rob Gronkowski? Based on what is going on with the Oklahoma Sooner football program, I doubt any fans will be naming their pets either Lincoln or Riley any time soon.
       The article also touched on space-themed names such as Elon, Solstice, Aster and Nebula. 
     We all love to eat, so why not a food-inspired name? The article suggested Caviar, Dijon, Baguette and Raclette. I’ve heard of Caviar and Dijon, but Baguette (a French bread) and Raclette. I’m not sure about that for a pet name.
       I would rather go with something more simple when it comes to food such as Porkchop, a name I used as a CB handle, or Blackeye Pea or Okra, favorite Southern foods I like. 
     I like Culver’s so I could name my dog, Culver. Other food names that come to mind are Taco, Popcorn, Frito, Ruffles, Oreo, all kind of catchy names.
     After rattling off all these names, Debbie shook her head and said, “I’m glad I’m the one who names the pets.”
     No matter what you name your pet, be sure to take care of them, especially with winter just around the corner. Make sure they have a warm place to sleep, food, fresh water and lots of love.
      Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always.

     A newspaper colleague of mine recently mentioned in his column about the old tradition of making horseradish sauce.
     “Though I was late to the process, there was enough horseradish hot air floating in the shed for me to tear up,” my colleague wrote.
      It piqued my interest as it seems not long after taking over as editor of the Montezuma Republican in July 2000, I heard about the now late Lew Lundy, the former and long-time superintendent at Montezuma, and friends getting together in his garage to make horseradish sauce. I had plans to write a story about the horseradish-making event, but it never happened.
      I don’t recall ever eating horseradish sauce nor did my family use it when I was growing up. There are several brands available at the grocery store, but it never has appealed to me.
      What has appealed to me is time with family this Thanksgiving season. We enjoyed a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving this year and I hope you and your family did as well.
      We all met at my mother-in-law’s place north of Montezuma. Some cousins joined us from the rural New Sharon area and there was plenty of good food, including smoked turkey and ham, and all the fixings for all to enjoy. As with past Thanksgivings, the topics of the day touched on farming, politics and life’s ups and downs.
       In the afternoon, everyone enjoyed a slice of homemade pie. Some topped it off with a spoonful of ice cream or whipped cream. I enjoyed a slice of pumpkin pie straight from the pie pan. It was good!
      I also enjoyed taking a few naps throughout the day in one of the comfy recliners while watching football when I was awake. 
     And on Friday, much of the family made the trek to the Des Moines area to kick off Christmas shopping. I haven’t gone shopping on Black Friday in a number of years. That was back when stores opened at Midnight and before and people where running all over each other to save $2. It seemed different this year with most stores opening at 7 a.m. on Friday.
     I like the change. People were in good moods, holding doors open for others and treating others with respect. 
      I met and visited with a lot of nice folks as my family ventured from store-to-store.
We were leaving Target in Ankeny and I noticed this young worker whose job was wiping shopping carts off after they were used. As we left, I took a moment to thank him for the good job he was doing. Wiping carts off at Target it not a glamourous job and I’m sure folks rarely thank him. It seemed to put a smile on his face.
     While at Fleet Farm in Ankeny, I suggested to the cashier’s manager, who was sacking my items, that they give her a raise. “She’s one of my best employees,” the manager said.
     I hope that comment goes with a little extra on her paycheck.
    At another store in the outlet mall, I had to wait outside as only so many people where allowed in the store at one time. There’s a chill in the air and this young lady was outside doing her job. I struck up a conversation with her and we talked for a bit. I even said good bye on my way out the door.
    In another store, I thanked the cashier for spending his holiday working.
    “Someone has got to do it,” he said.
    Stores everywhere had signs looking for help. To me, that is why it is so important to say thanks and have a great day. There are a lot of people who give up time with their families to pay the bills and help others get what they need in life.
    And at the end of day, my family stopped at a sit-down restaurant for a meal. As we were leaving, I struck up a conversation with a couple in the booth next to us. They were nice folks and we had a pleasant visit.
    My dad was like that. He could strike up a conversation with a total stranger. It used to drive me nuts. Today, it doesn’t bother me a bit.
   When you meet someone, you never know what is going on in their lives. You don’t have to talk with everyone you meet or figure out every problem. But on occasion it is OK to say a kind word and most importantly, “Thanks!”
    Get out an enjoy life and make this Christmas season the best ever for you and your family.
Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always.