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Anchors, Birthdays, and Busy Summer Days

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I awoke this morning before 6:00 with words swarming through my mind from the refrain of an old hymn I’d heard many times in childhood, but I doubt I’ve heard in years.

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

My mind mulled over the final phrase, “in the Savior’s love.” Then the final words to Romans chapter 8 mingled with my thoughts, “the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

How does that verse begin? Oh, yes. The connection between hymn and biblical text deepened.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

These crescendoing verses fully awakened me, and I realized that this hymn needs to be woven into today’s blog post. Yes, I need to post today. It’s June’s last day, and I’ve not posted this month. June, seeming so threatening to me at the beginning of the month, had rolled over me like those billows. I had wondered how I would make it to July.

July 1 is a significant marker for  many companies and organizations, indicating “the beginning of the new fiscal year.”  Every year in the spring and through June we receive requests for donations, desiring contributions before that significant date of July 1.

For me, July 1 is also a significant marker. It always marks the beginning of a new year for me. It is my birthday. This year it marks 67 years. Wow. What a marker. What a sizable wave.

I need an anchor. An anchor grounded in the depths of my Savior’s love — from which nothing can separate me — not anything in life, and not even death itself.  So, the month of June could not destroy me  — nor you. We are anchored to Christ, our immovable rock.

Beauty and peace after a storm.

How does the rest of that hymn go? Who wrote it and why? After my morning routine, I pulled out my hymn history books, hymn books, and some online sources. Time to explore.

Continue reading →

Categories: Devotional, Joy & Suffering -- Good & Evil, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments

Home Again, Home Again

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Today is a gorgeous, sunny day, here in Fort Wayne, Indiana!  So I wrote a week ago! I typed out a few more sentences, took some photos to share with you, and put away the article to finish another day. The day was gorgeous, but I was exhausted.

Showing God’s Glory

A week has passed during which we have experienced two days of  winter-retro: snow turned our green lawn white!! I put on a snuggly sweater. I wanted to start a blaze in the fireplace. Nonetheless, it was another gorgeous day– of a different sort.  Snow playfully dusted the pink and white blossoms of our ornamental crab apple and pear trees. “Hmm. If it keeps up,” I thought,  “we may receive much more that a light coating. I hope our plants and trees aren’t damaged.”

That night, the dusting turned into a thick and rich coating. In the morning, everything glistened. By the end of that day, most of the frozen elements had melted, moisturizing the land, appearing to cause little harm and mostly good. I’ll add some pictures of our contrasting gorgeousness below. (I wasn’t able to upload my new pictures, but I’ll include some from last spring. Hopefully, I”ll include the new photos in my next post.)  But first….

You’ve heard of “breakfast” – breaking the fast. I’ve been on a “post fast” and it’s time to break the posting fast.The last article I posted was on February 28. Paul and I were still in Florida, and in that post you can view a few pictures of palm trees and sights from a lanai in The Villages in central Florida (which I wanted to contrast to views from here in Fort Wayne!). I believe this is the longest break I’ve taken from JNC.  Keep reading. I’ve been praying and cooking up a few “new” ideas. So…

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Categories: Uncategorized | 6 Comments

And Just What Is Government?

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Paul and I spent most of Inauguration Day, Friday, January 20, following the events via our online connection which we cast to our “big” screen (a 37 inch flat screen that is not hooked up to use as a TV).  Watching “the peaceful transfer of power,” our patriotic spirits were exercised, and we almost felt as if we were there. Almost! Happily, I was curled up in my roomy, warm, upholstered chair. The hubbub, the music, the crowds, the motorcades, the who’s who entrances —  all blended to evoke a spirit of belonging — similar to (for me in my simpleness) going to a county fair, but on a huge and impactful scale. This is more than the satisfaction of belonging to a local community or club; on this day, we gratefully sensed our belonging to our country, the United States of America. ( Much of the week end’s madness had not yet happened. I choose not to smudge Friday’s memories with it.)

As I ruminated over the day’s events and words, I asked myself, “And just what is government?” The teens in my Sunday school class and I had discussed this a few weeks before when we were reviewing a period in ancient Israel’s past, the era of the judges, which preceded the kingdom era of King Saul, King David, and King Solomon. In the era of the judges, everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6).   I asked my teens, “What is government?” Their only association of the word is with politics — some form of civil government and economic system such as democracy or communism. Hmm. There is something important beneath these ideas, something preceding them.

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Categories: Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized | Tags: , | 1 Comment

Balancing the Teeter Totter: Two Taxonomies

Posted on May 29, 2016 by Karen Thomas Olsen

It’s time to turn a corner. Will you turn it with me? I know. Who knows what’s around it? (God.) Well, I’ll tell you what’s up. I would like to share my biblical research with you and others. With the Lord’s help, I plan to look for an agent and a publisher to help me transform my doctoral research project into useful material (spiritual nutrition and exercise) for the Body of Christ. That’s you (and me too!) .

I’d like to use this blog to find other people who are interested in my research topic, so I’m going to share the heart of the research with you. I’d like to ask you to forward my blog to everyone you know who may find meaning and blessing through this research. My topic, suffering and joy, is relevant to everyone.

I’ve worked on this project for three years, praying, searching Scriptures, evaluating life, and seeking God’s leading in my researching and writing. The product is a theology of suffering and joy: the doctrine of the dance between suffering and joy. (The title of this post employs a different metaphor.) I use some some special vocabulary which I will share with you, but don’t let words become walls. I’ll break terms down through meanings and usages.

I have constructed two taxonomies. Taxonomies are filing systems — ways of categorizing and organizing things. The color wheel categorizes colors. Your pantry organizes your food supply. The Plant Kingdom and Animal Kingdom with all their sub-data are taxonomies that help us identify and understand plants and animals.

This study’s first taxonomy, The Taxonomy of Suffering, names our pains. A corresponding Taxonomy of Joy responds to each kind (taxon) of pain. Here is the title of my doctoral research project:

A TAXONOMIC THEOLOGY OF SUFFERING AND JOY

DESIGNED TO ASSIST IN CHRISTIAN GROWTH

Would this interest you or anyone you know?   Continue reading →

Categories: Joy & Suffering -- Good & Evil, Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments

Anticipating the Future Via Treasures from the Past

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Karen Thomas Olsen

It can’t be avoided. The older we get, the more that life is behind us rather than in front of us.  Often I wrestle with this blinding, “under the sun” perspective. I miss much of my past: the chatter of two, little girls and all their activity in our house, the planning of family gatherings, the greatly anticipated arrival of grandparents accompanied by a trunk full of garden goodies, homemade berry and cream pies, and ranger or chocolate chip cookies. Continue reading →

Categories: Joy & Suffering -- Good & Evil, Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized | Tags: , , | 2 Comments

Live and Learn — Traveling and Grandsons

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Cliches become cliches because there is some clear core of truth within them. “Live and learn” is one of those. It is a premise found in Scripture and within our personal experiences.

Paul and I returned recently from a lightning round, eight day trip to the midwest. We flew to Chicago, spent the night at our older daughter’s home, picked up a rental car the next day and drove

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Categories: Joy & Suffering -- Good & Evil, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Input from You

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Dear Reader,

I am considering making some changes to this blog, so I need your input.

JNC, was birthed on Novemeber 1, 2011 as a part of the ministry of Troy Christian Schools in Troy, Ohio. As the school’s Curriculum Director, I was the author of each post, hoping to encourage parents. After I retired in the summer of 2012, the school turned it over to me at my request to develop on my own. JNC has no connection to the school, so I am free to shape this blog as I see fit.

Not only do people have many reasons for writing blogs, readers choose to read for various reasons. So, please respond to a few questions listed below. Continue reading →

Categories: Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Oil of Gladness: Recommendation and Recipes

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Karen Thomas Olsen

How about an easy read today. Something light, if you call oil something light. Well, the Bible speaks of the “oil of gladness,” so this topic will be light-hearted and nutritious.  I’ve been wanting to get to a health topic. Continue reading →

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Peace to You All

Posted on July 21, 2013 by Karen Thomas Olsen
Reflection Pool at a Christian retreat in Ohio

Reflection Pool at a Christian retreat in Ohio

I want to welcome some new  readers to JNC. I hope you read some old posts. Feel free to make yourself at home on this blog.

Journey North began as a blog project for Continue reading →

Categories: Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Reaching a Summit

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Good morning! It may be later in the day for you, but pretend you are enjoying a lovely sunrise with me as you read. The sun is busy rising over the mountains, casting pastel hues. It’s a happy morning — cheerful skies lighting our hilly horizon. My heart is light and happy and relieved today. A load of responsibility has been lifted. I’ve been climbing a personal mountain, as some of you know. All of us have mountains to climb — placed before us by genes, heritage, circumstance, and those of our own choosing.  Many mountains surround us.  Some we must climb, and others, in our fascination, we choose to climb. We are determined to make an attempt.

Years ago, Continue reading →

Categories: Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

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