Talking Leaves and the Power of Story by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Rachel HauckShellie Rushing Tomlinson, Southern People and Places Leave a Comment

I remember the woman interviewing me was using an actual pad and pen, and I remember how I liked that. It felt good to watch our conversation filling up the pages of her notebook. It reminded me of a quote from Sequoyah, a Native American hero who made it his life’s work to give his people access to the “talking leaves” of the white man. Sequoyah spent twelve …

Just Enough, More Than Enough, and a Gracious Plenty by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Rachel HauckShellie Rushing Tomlinson, Southern Faith, Southern People and Places Leave a Comment

Let me tell you a story about three men I know… Just Enough, More than Enough, and A Gracious Plenty. Just Enough has a decent paying job but he spends all his time making sure the money doesn’t run out before the month does. Just Enough goes to church but he has a hard time getting there regularly. He tries …

“Making it Fall, Y’all” by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Rachel HauckShellie Rushing Tomlinson, Southern Scrapbook Leave a Comment

I’ve had to smile at the common thread that’s been weaving its way through the porch this week. In short, the prevailing wisdom here at SBV suggests that sans the dropping temperatures signaling its arrival elsewhere in the land, southerners have learned to approach fall as more of an attitude. If the calendar says it is fall, then by golly, …

2012 Writers and Readers Reach Out

Rachel HauckAll Things Southern, Kimberly Smith Blog, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson 1 Comment

Pleased to welcome my friend and fellow belle on southernbelleview to share her heart on this great cause! Before us is a great opportunity to partner with one another to raise awareness about human trafficking and join together to raise funds towards their rescue through Kimberly L. Smith’s foundation, Make Way Partners. And yet, even as we are set to launch, one-fourth of …

Security Checkpoints Can Pose Problems by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Rachel HauckShellie Rushing Tomlinson, Southern People and Places Leave a Comment

  I’m not so sure Facebook is all that unusual a way to reunite these days, but the social media site sure springs to mind as I consider this week’s conversation starter supplied by our gracious Belle Tuesday, Beth Webb Hart. Tanya’s friendship request opened up a floodgate of high school memories. I remember grinning when I saw it, almost …

If only in my dreams…by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Rachel HauckShellie Rushing Tomlinson, Southern Faith, Southern Memories Leave a Comment

I’ve been so tempted to parrot the other belles with this dream job question. I so identified with Lisa’s powerful post. I was phased out of my all-time favorite job of mothering, too, although I’m further removed from that shocker time-wise. I didn’t realize how time had dulled the memory of those very raw emotions until Lisa brought them back …

Miscommunicating and Men Genes — A Funny but Gracious Tale

Rachel HauckShellie Rushing Tomlinson, Southern People and Places Leave a Comment

What an interesting week on the porch! As I’ve enjoyed the other belles’ posts and your responses, I picked through my share of miscommunication experiences trying to decide which one I would offer. In the end, I’ve decided to go with a sentimental favorite. This “Who’s on first?” story happened between my dear pastor and myself several years ago but the memory always endears the man to …

A Lesson in World Peace and Warring Siblings by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Rachel HauckShellie Rushing Tomlinson, Southern Memories Leave a Comment

World leaders could learn a thing or two from my mama. She had this thing she did whenever she caught her stair-step girls squabbling. The offending parties would have to sit under the kitchen table with our arms around each others’ shoulders as if we would not have much preferred choking the other party down to her knees. We were expected to …