Posts Tagged With: love

Testing

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

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 →

Categories: Spiritual Growth | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments

Cinco de Noviembre

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

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Categories: Being Like Jesus, Spiritual Growth | Tags: , , | 1 Comment

Saying YES to God

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

How has God changed you through the cross of Christ, the Word of God, and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit?  This is your story.  I asked you this question recently, and then began to tell you part of my story that relates to the character qualities of self-control, obedience, surrender, and love. I’ll pick up where I left off last time.

Continue reading →

Categories: Parenting, Spiritual Growth | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Saying NO to God

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I have to smile when I think of how impressed some of my high school students were that I had waited so long to get married.  When they saw the guy I was marrying, the girls were really impressed. Wow! Waiting is worth it!  To young people ages 14-18, we were so old — meeting at age 24 and marrying at age 26!  And I must admit that I thought I had waited pretty long too.

Now, I’m still holding you in suspense! Continue reading →

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

Weighing Honor

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

How is respect or honor a form of love? I left you with this question in our last post. We could go in many directions here, so I’ve chosen a few strands that at first may not seem related, but I think you’ll agree with me that they are multicolored threads woven into the same blanket.  Let me take you to a nursery rhyme. Yes, many children’s rhymes are for adults. Continue reading →

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Honoring Ways

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Whatever does it mean to honor your mother and father? Or to honor God? Or to honor others? This character quality is on Troy Christian School’s 5th grade character focus list, but of course, it’s for everyone.  Our students learn that honor is “showing deep Continue reading →

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Singing Along — On the Obedience Train

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

What character qualities are riding along on the obedience train, singing in harmony?  I’m rather embarrassed to tell you how many, in my opinion, of our 57 character qualities fit on this train.  I went down the list and checked off 19!  I must lack discernment or judgment!  But then, maybe there is something to this!  In our last post, I said that love is the entire enchilada – all 57 qualities rolled into one, describing the perfections of Christ.  Obedience as a subset of love also has its entourage. Remember Continue reading →

Categories: Being Like Jesus, Parenting, Spiritual Growth | Tags: , , , , | 3 Comments

A Blessed St. Valentine’s Day to You!!

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I’ve heard a number of people say that Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and many of these kinds of holidays are just “Hallmark” inventions for commercial purposes.  Actually, history reveals that St. Valentine’s Day goes back to Roman paganism and early church history.  Much is obscured in legend, but part of the story is attached to Christian martyrdom in the third century. We don’t associate religious persecution with Valentine’s Day, but there is an early connection. Continue reading →

Categories: Spiritual Growth | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments

At The Heart Of Love Is “Blessing”

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I used to think that the words ‘blessed” and “blessing”  were  insipid, anemic, nebulous words.  Like soft Jello, lacking shape and substance.  That was before I started to study the words!  Word studies enrich your mind and life! They will change your perspective on reality, because they open mental windows!

“Blessing” is at the heart of what it means to be loved by God and for us to love others. “Makarios” is one Greek word translated “blessed one.” It means possessing the favor of God. More specifically, “The believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit because of Christ and as a result should be fully satisfied no matter the circumstances.” [1]  Continue reading →

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Coursing Through Our Veins

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Life courses through our veins. Crimson fluid: red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. Our blood speeding through the labyrinth of endless channels called arteries and veins nourishes, oxygenates, cleanses, defends, and protects us. I did a little reading online about blood and was breath-taken by the stunning performance that never ends until death. I exhaled, “Truly, we are fearfully and wonderfully made!”

“. . . The love [agape] of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5b). This is the end of a sentence that begins in verse 3. In another post, I’d like to discuss the relationship presented here between trials, character, and a heart capable of receiving the love of God poised to be poured into it.  Continue reading →

Categories: Spiritual Growth | Tags: , , | 6 Comments

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