Author Archives: Karen Thomas Olsen

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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.

Gathering with Friends 50 Years Later: Encouraged by “Whatever”

Posted on October 1, 2023 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Sandy suggested this idea last spring. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was willing.

That’s a yellow, Can-Am Spyder RT. You see Sandy’s face in the mirror. This is her bike!

Yes, I’m interrupting our current series which is rather heavy in order tell a story. A true story. Well, an episode within the life-stories of three ladies who were friends in high school. Fifty years have passed since we graduated. Yes, yes, I’m one of the three.  Yes, yes, I’m that old! Get me on Sandy’s bike? Ha! And what do you think?

Sandy moved to Fremont, Ohio with her family right before her sophomore year. My parents and I moved there before  my junior year. (My sister went off to college.) Since Sandy and I did not grow up in Fremont, it was not important to us to attend our reunion, so Sandy suggested that we two plus another friend from our class create our own friendship reunion — a three girl retreat.

And so we did. Just two weeks ago.

Paula made our third person. She did grow up in Fremont, so she attended the class reunion in August. Paula liked Sandy’s idea and even agreed to the location that she suggested — Karen’s house in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A good deal for me!

Sandy (less than 5 feet tall) drove up from Anderson, South Carolina on her yellow, three-wheeled motor bike, a 12 hour trip she did in one day. Gutsy is her middle name, and everyone knows it. Paula drove over from Columbus, Ohio, a 3 1/2 hour trip, in her truck — a big, black Silverado. Paula’s a can-do woman who lived until recently on a horse ranch and still has horses. Hmm, and then there’s wimpo me! I have to summon up discipline and bravery to walk around my beautiful block. Sore legs, ankles, and feet (and whatever) talk back to me: “You really don’t want to do that, do you?! Sit down!” No wonder these wonder women traveled to my house!

Sandy, Paula, and Karen. What a mix.

How long has it been since you graduated from high school? Amazing, isn’t it? Well, we three “retreated” from Sunday afternoon to Wednesday morning. I was surprised and I wasn’t surprised. It was not what I expected, although I did not know what to expect, since I hadn’t seen Paula in over 45 years and nearly 50 years since all three of us were together. How would we do together? And what would it mean?

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Categories: A Personal Note, Spiritual Growth | Tags: , | 4 Comments

Provoking More Thought While Harvesting Some Produce

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Karen Thomas Olsen

In this post, I will continue my response to Amanda O and incorporate some photos from a recent trip we took to Aunt Mary’s farm (the Findlay Family Farm, as I call it, where my mother was born and reared). I’ll address the following portion of  Amanda’s thought-provoking, recent comments:

Regarding Mr. Hodge’s claim “the United States’ system of national popular education will be the most efficient and wide instrument for the propagation of atheism which the world has ever seen”, I doubt this. Atheism is very rare in our country and, as best as I can tell, it is very unnatural. Most people want a transcendent explanation of our world. I haven’t looked it up, but I would bet Atheism is very rare globally for exactly this reason. Instead, I think Mr. Hodge’s statement would be far more potentially accurate if he simply substituted the word “secularism” for “atheism”.

When I first read Dr. Hodge’s statement, and then in its context, I wondered the same thing. Would “secularism” be a better term for him to employ? With further reading and thought, I realized, not so. Changing the word “atheism” to “secularism” would not accurately clarify his thought.

Paul, picking apples at the Findlay Family Farm last week.

Why? First, in this context, it would be redundant or circular. Earlier in your comment (note previous post) you had quoted more of Dr. Hodge’s statement: “I am … sure … that a comprehensive and centralized system of national education, separated from religion… will prove the most appalling enginery for the propagation of … atheistic unbelief.” 

Dr. Hodge’s description of public education as “separated from religion” concisely defines secularism: to separate from religion is to secularize. His point was not to say that secularism will produce more secularism.

He meant that secularism leads to atheism — especially when it is made into a comprehensive, nationally centralized system of education.

The question then arises, is this so?

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Categories: Dr. A.A. Hodge, Education, Grandparenting, Parenting, Perspectives on Culture | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Thought-Provoking Thoughts that Provoke Thoughts About Secularism, Schools, and Christianity

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Over a week ago, I received a probing response to my June 8 post, “From Trans to Trans: Getting Involved in the Transformative Activity of the Gospel.” This kind of response in the comment section of the blog requires an entire post or series of posts in reply. So, please read Amanda O’s thought-provoking contribution below. You may need to read or re-read my June 8 post before reading the rest of this post. I’ll break down my response to Amanda in a series that I’ll publish closer together in the next weeks, so you can follow the conversation without being overwhelmed.

From Amanda O:

This is thought-provoking.

Continue reading →

Categories: Education, Grandparenting, Parenting, Perspectives on Culture | Tags: , , , , | 2 Comments

#4: “Only the Informed Can Act” Really? What if…

Posted on July 10, 2023 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Amazing. I am overwhelmed at all the ideas and information I encounter daily. You know I spend a fair amount of time reading. And I listen to some podcasts. I also listen to some news on various outlets. But reading is my main avenue of information.

Here are some of the books I’m in the middle of reading:

…

Yesterday, I was reading The Origins of Sectarian Protestantism, subtitled ” A Study of the Anabaptist View of the Church.” My religious heritage is the Brethren, originating in 1708 in Schwarzenau, Germany. The Brethren were influenced by the Roman Catholic, Reformed (Lutheran and Presbyterian), Anabaptist, and Radical Pietist elements of the universal church. So, I pulled out my two volume Brethren Encyclopedia and spent hours in them reading.

 

…

I inherited The Brethren Encyclopedia from my father, the author of that poem, “Suppose” (included in my post from May).  I was amazed at what I found inside these books. No, I should not have been surprised. What I found was just what I should have expected. My dad added lots of highlighting, commentary, photographs, and articles.

In his retirement years, besides writing sermons and poetry, my dad wrote letters to elected officials and submitted many “letters to the editor” of the local newspaper which were printed in the Findlay Courier (Findlay, Ohio). He wrote these letters for the editorial page for years, and we heard about them (mostly positive responses) from family and friends. I’ve often wished that we had paid more attention to this. We were busy living our own lives, and I don’t remember reading dad’s submissions. I found a number of them taped inside the encyclopedia volumes. I want to share one of them with you today that fits perfectly with my current JNC series. Dated March 30, 1984, it is entitled “Bible Reading Needed For Freedom.”

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Categories: Education, Grandparenting, Parenting, Perspectives on Culture | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments

#3: From Trans to Trans: Getting Involved in the Transformative Activity of the Gospel

Posted on June 8, 2023 by Karen Thomas Olsen

In the midst of the messy times in which we live, I have so much encouragement to pass on to you today! Let the exclamation point communicate anticipation and excitement!

(Confident in their Creator, these tall irises transform our front yard.)

.

This is the third in a series dealing with certain, current social issues and some needed, biblical responses. I began with a contrast between the trans movement of today and the ancient, biblical trans movement of Christ-transformation. Then, through my father’s poem, “Suppose,” we considered what life would be like if Jesus had never entered human history, observing that the world in which our children live today is rather like that “suppose He never came” world. For many, such supposing is so. Sigh.

But Christ did come, fulfilling Old Testaments promises and bringing us hope.

I concluded the previous post by reminding us of Jesus’ proclamation in the synagogue at the beginning of His ministry when He read aloud from the Isaiah scroll:

The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me because He anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor.

He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind,

to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

Luke 4:18-19

Closing the scroll, with all eyes fixed on him, Jesus explained:

 “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (verse 21).

 I concluded:

“Today. Today is the worst of times; today is the best of times. Today is the “favorable year of the Lord.”

Let us seek Him.”

In this worst-best of times, I ask in today’s post, how can we help hurting people find Him who is seeking them?

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Categories: Dr. A.A. Hodge, Education, Grandparenting, Parenting, Perspectives on Culture | Tags: , , , , | 8 Comments

#2: Suppose

Posted on May 13, 2023 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I’ve never done this before, but it’s time.  For twelve years I’ve written all the articles for this blog, Journey North Character. I’ve never re-posted an article, but I am today, adding a bit at the opening and closing to connect it to our new series. I’ll also add a photo.

Last month I began a new series dealing with some current social issues and biblical responses, by juxtaposing the trans movement with transformation in Christ. Now there’s a contrast.

I published the following post on June 22, 2014, entitling it “The Rest of Dad’s Poem.” Paul and I lived in Prescott Valley, Arizona then. Sigh (memories).

***

I’ve been sitting on my recliner, reading my father’s poetry and his grandfather’s poetry. My dad — Marion R. Thomas. My great-grandfather — Daniel Driver Thomas. I never met Daniel Driver, but I heard about him from my father. Dad loved and respected his family members. Dad loved and enjoyed God’s world.

Marion Thomas, age 81. Picture taken by his oldest grandchild, Amanda, when she was taking a photography class at our community college. Note the knit cap he often wore in his latter years when he was cold.

I even found a poem he wrote entitled, ” Come, Celebrate Grass” ( 40 lines about his lawn, written around 1987).  [Another poem he wrote, which I think will connect well with our new series on current social issues, is Dad’s poem entitled “Suppose” written in the 1940’s when Dad was in his 20s.] Here it is. Continue reading →

Categories: Education, Parenting, Perspectives on Culture, Spiritual Growth | Tags: , | 6 Comments

#1: Isaiah, Jesus, and Whatevermike

Posted on April 22, 2023 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I read. I listen. I compare. Hmm. What are the meanings of their messages? Can one discern?

Whose messages?

Isaiah, the Prophet, as he “hears the word of the Lord,” Jesus, the Christ, as He hears the word of the Lord through Isaiah, and Whatevermike, as he hears the word and anti-words of another god.

Ahh. I have distinguished already differing deities. If the messages are from the one and same “god,” then we will interpret the meaning and consider applications differently than we would if the messages are sourced in separate “gods.”

Where is this world headed? Who is at the helm?

I am currently reading the book of Isaiah. During the season leading up to Resurrection Sunday, I was nourished by the New Testament gospels. Isaiah lived probably 700 years before Christ. His writings, ancient to the Son of Man (but not to the I AM of John 8:58), present Christ’s calling card:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor” (Isaiah 61:1-2a; compare to Luke 4:19-20).

How privileged we are to have the Scriptures, to be able to read them and hear them taught. I have not been sheltered from the Bible. God’s Word has not been canceled from my sight or hearing. But the Word has been sidelined in our society, as you well know.  In the public square it has been ridiculed, maligned, disdained, and largely rejected. Yet, its voice is not extinguished. Like invisible sound waves, its truths penetrate, rumbling beneath our feet.

What is the spirit of this age? Whose spirit is upon whom?

Continue reading →

Categories: Education, Parenting, Perspectives on Culture, Spiritual Growth | Tags: , | 4 Comments

For Your Progress and Joy in the Faith

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Karen Thomas Olsen

You’ll find this phrase, “for your progress and joy in the faith,” in the middle of a Pauline passage, Philippians 1: 21-26, which needs to be read within the context of the entire, little epistle.

It is true that I did not post anything in the month of February. I have a draft that I never finished, and I’m not going to use it. I am starting with a fresh focus today that has been simmering in my mind recently, and it awoke me this morning: “for your progress and joy in the faith.” Such an intriguing thought nested within Paul’s themes.

I found this picture at the Good Samaritan Mission. It fits perfectly with the class I taught there called A Traveler’s Guide through Suffering and Joy.

Though a fresh focus, it fits well with my last post, my January post, which caused a number of you to contact me personally via email, phone, and even by card through the postal system! I felt a need to be more personal, because it is easy for us to simplify, unintentionally, those people who write or speak, because we do not see them in their contexts. So I gave you a bit more of my context. Thank you for your caring touches.

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Categories: A Personal Note, Spiritual Growth | Tags: , | 6 Comments

Like Sea Waves: A Personal Note

Posted on January 22, 2023 by Karen Thomas Olsen

After returning to Indiana from a six week snowbird trip to Florida last March, I began a downhill slump that didn’t begin to turn upward until October. What happened?

I think I need to be more personal with you. So, today’s post will differ in tone and content from most of my posts. No explorations into Noah Webster’s original dictionary. No quotation from an obscure theologian. No fascinating dives into word etymologies and usages. No book reviews. But I will include photos! We need their encouragement.

At Spanish Springs in The Villages of Florida.

Paul and I returned to Florida a month ago now. We plan, Lord willing, to stay until mid-March. But we may be moved to change our plans.

My perspectives and attitudes did move last year, surging like sea waves on the beach, crescendoing and then receding. Signifying what?

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Categories: A Personal Note | Tags: , , | 2 Comments

A Story Told: The Cosmic Adventure

Posted on December 15, 2022 by Karen Thomas Olsen

A story told is the breaking of the silence.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

“He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (John 1:2-3).

 “Before the foundations of the world, He chose us in Him… in love” (Ephesians 1: 4).

“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:4-5).

 

After brunch we read one chapter to the children and adults.

In the breaking of the silence, as in the breaking of bread, a story is told to nurture the life of the world.

Man shall not live by fact alone.

Here’s the way for a nana to live, and I’m looking more like her each year!

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