About Karen Thomas Olsen
Born and raised in Ohio, I attended college and graduate school in Indiana, moved to Scotts Valley, California south of San Jose to teach, back to Ohio for many years, to Arizona for 11 years with my husband, and finally to Ft. Wayne, Indiana to be near family. (Leaving Prescott Valley, Arizona in 2018 was very hard. Sigh. But for family? Worth it.)
I have taught in three Christian high schools and one community college. My first teaching position was in Scotts Valley, California. In the summer of 1980, a tall, dark, and handsome 26 year old California boy, who had recently completed his degree in Aeronautical Operations from San Jose State University, followed me to Columbus, Ohio where I had accepted a new teaching position at Worthington Christian High School.
There in Worthington we were married. Paul became an Air Traffic Controller, and we raised two beautiful girls in Piqua and Troy, Ohio. We now also have a son-in-law and two precious grandsons born in 2009 and 2012. In 2007, Lockheed Martin transferred my husband to Prescott Valley, Arizona, which was a great adventure for us. Arizona was a good place for my health and great for Paul, a California boy who loves the sunny southwest! However, being far from family is not easy. So, in July of 2018 we moved to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, where we are near relatives and just hours from each of our daughters, one near Chicago and one north of Cincinnati.
For years, I worked in Christian school curriculum design and development, which was challenging, exciting, and satisfying. After retiring in the summer of 2012, I focused on completing a doctorate, pursuing some writing projects, and being involved in Christian education at our church. Maintaining this blog continues to be important to me. With great gratitude to the Lord who carried me through the process, I graduated from Trinity Theological Seminary in August, 2016, earning a DRS (Doctor of Religious Studies) with an emphasis in theology. My dissertation is entitled "A Taxonomic Theology of Suffering and Joy Designed to Assist in Christian Growth."
Besides reading, learning, teaching, and writing, I love to swim, stroll around the neighborhood on my bike, take Water Aerobics classes, mingle with neighbors, and participate in our local church. As my health permits, I love to travel and see God’s amazing creation.
I’m wearing my eye glasses or “life lenses” which instruct me to “Look for the Lord in every page of Scripture, in every corner of nature, and in every chapter of my life." No matter the direction of my life, it's a journey north.
Dear Readers,
Please reply to let me know if you find any advertisement/video at the bottom of this blog. I had two reports of such after my last post, but when I have gone into the blog from outside (rather than from the administrative mode which I am on now), I do not find any ad/video. The one video clip was crass and inappropriate. Another person saw a different clip that wasn’t bad, but nonetheless, I want to know if this is happening across the board or if this was a one time thing. If this is going to continue, I’ll check into what I can do. So this post is a test, and I need your response to know if this is going to be a real problem that needs to be addressed. Continue reading →
Yes, lots to explore. Lots to learn! Last time I wrote of being scattered because I’m distracted by so many fascinations. The list of distractions has no end, as long as my heart is beating. So today I find a stack of delightful distractions right here in my house. What delightful distractions surround you? Continue reading →
I didn’t post an article last week — just too divided. A bit scattered. So many things to do. There’s something fun and positive about this and something negative. I’m thankful that I have numerous activities, projects, and interests. I’m thankful that I have enough strength and energy to pursue them! I’m so glad that the God-given sense of wonder at life and the joy of discovery have not died with long-gone youth!!!
On the other hand, Continue reading →
I told you about the teen girls’ all nighter I was to have last Friday night, so let me report. It went very smoothly. It ended up being the smallest one I’ve had with only five girls coming, but you put five teen girls together, and they have a grand time. I had lots of yummy food for them: Paul’s famous enchaladas, veggie plate, chips and salsa, banana bread, brownies….. The girls had plenty of room and gathered in several places to chatter, chatter, chatter. One girl played my piano for quite a while and demonstrated a pleasant and broad repertoire. One girl loves to sketch, and showed her stack of fashion drawings and made some more. They chose some games from my wicker game chest. They stayed up late and I went to bed, trusting them not to burn the house down. Continue reading →
I’m hostessing another teen girls’ all nighter at my house this Friday night. I’ve been doing this about twice a year for the last 2-3 years. Often I schedule them when Paul is on a mission trip, but he’s gone back to work again, so he’s not flying off to Africa or some other place for a while. (He’s retired twice now. Third time’s a charm, and he seems to be in the charming work stage right now. That’s another topic for another time.) I have a theme for each all nighter, so this time, I chose my theme based upon the lovely, little chorus, “To Bless Your Heart” which is about blessing God’s heart. Oh, how could we ever bless The Blesser? Continue reading →
I’m sitting on my swing in the front of my house looking out at the Bradshaw Mountains. The sky is filled with billowy clouds, and in the distance I occasionally hear some thunder. It’s the end of the monsoon season here in Arizona. We’ve lived in the Prescott Valley area ( 1 1/2 hours north of Phoenix) for five years now, and this is the most amazing monsoon season I’ve experienced. I didn’t know about North America’s southwestern monsoons before moving here. Continue reading →
I enjoy playing the piano in my home for the pleasure of it, and it also is a lovely opportunity to pray and worship. Yesterday, I was playing the old gospel hymn,”Sweet By and By.”
There’s a land that is fairer than day, and by faith we can see it afar,
For the Father waits over the way to prepare us a dwelling place there.
Refrain: In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore.
That’s the first verse. I suppose many of you remember it, and the melody is now playing in your mind. These are precious words, but the third verse struck me. Continue reading →
Welcome! We’ve been on summer break, and now it’s time to rev up this blog again! I hope you like JNC’s new appearance! I’ve been writing for Journey North Character under the leadership of Troy Christian Schools in Troy, Ohio. Since I am now “retired,” JNC was recently released to me to manage independently.
I hope that you will continue to join me on this journey. First, we want to make sure we know why we’re here.
JNC exists to encourage Christians to walk closer to Christ, becoming more like Him. Continue reading →
Journey North Character 