My Noisy Turtles

Several years ago, my roommates Diana and Shirley and I decided we wanted a pet. We weren't allowed to have cats or dogs, so we decided on something small and easy to care for - turtles.
Once we came to the decision, Diana and I made a trek down to Chinatown (where they are sold on the street) on a warm afternoon and brought home our new beloved little pets Tobie, Shelly and Fluffy. They were so tiny, cute and scared after we brought them home. We bought them a tank, a light and a rock - watching them grow and seeing how they lived. They like to get on their rock, under the light, stretch their legs and stack themselves. It's quite cute to watch the little turtle sandwich. Later Fluffy died and we were left with two turtles.
As time went by, the roommates and I went our separate ways. I ended up with the turtles and have since taken them to Detroit with me. They have grown from the size of my thumb to the size of my fist. They have caused quite a stir lately. My landlord (who lives below me), claims that the turtles make too much noise and keep him up at night. I realize they don't bark or meow - after all they're turtles. They don't make any noise. I guess he can hear them swimming - his bedroom is below the room the room they live in. This has caused quite a contention in my house and my landlord has all but asked me to break my lease and find another place to live. All of this because of "noisy" turtles. It's crazy.
I was at a work party and I met this guy who was telling me about his nieces and nephews. He likes to sing Old McDonald had a farm with them and sometimes stumps them by saying "Old McDonald had a turtle..." - knowing they don't make noises. I said to the guy... funny you say that... let me tell you about my landlord...
Sad, very sad. How could Tobie and Shelly cause so much trouble? How dare they??!?

Update:
I have since worked things out with the landlord. Tobey and Shelly sleep in a bucket in the bathroom at night and are contently happy about it.

I am moving in March!

Living in the 3-1-3

I am working on a project to help Metro Life World Outreach with their fundraising project. They are a church in the Corktown area of Detroit. It's situated in one of the poorer and crime infested areas of Detroit. The presentation is a reminder the realities of what life is like in the throes of everyday Detroit.

The presentation brings you back to the reality that you really don't have to go to Lebanon or Afghanistan to live in or see urban devastation and ruin, because the same devastation is right here in the US. I went to the neighborhood to take some photos. for the presentation These are just a fraction of the remnants and ruins of Detroit. Unfortunately, this dire need is often ignored. I'm honored to be able to volunteer for a church like Metro Life. They work with the people, mainly the children and teens in the community to give them hope and a way out of the circumstances that could await them in the cycle of poverty.

Please pray for the city of Detroit. If you would like to know more about the work of Metro Life, Pastor Matt Cripps and the good news gang, please send me an email at hollyeklund@me.com.

See the pictures below...

A closed, boarded up and graffiti ridden elementary school.

Inside some of the closed schools are books and other usable material left to go to waste.

An old abandoned factory where people live.

Another old abandoned factory. Would you want to live across the street from this?

Just a couple of houses

This house could almost be a work of graffiti art. What a shame when there are people without a roof over their head in all places of the world.

NYC Update

I returned back to NYC for a few days last week for a visit. 

I had no plans to return as soon as I did, but it seemed "divinely" set up. A friend of mine found some extremely cheap tickets online and bought them so we could have a fun weekend - me and three other ladies. One by one, each person had to back out of the trip until I was left going to NYC by myself. 

I was thinking to myself .... "why God are you sending me on this visit and what are you wanting to do through it?".  I spent time with friends and was able to get some real quality one on one time, without being in a rush. I had brunch, sightseeing and all the good stuff. Living in NYC, life for me was always a rush or a quest to get rest between being in a rush. 

I was able to spend a lot of time with Peck, one of my very best friends who attended Harvest Church with me. She has been mourning the loss of all of her friends moving away. Every last friend of hers literally up and relocated in the past year- including myself. 

I stopped by the Harvest Center to see Gina teaching ESL classes. Gina was formerly my assistant teacher and translator, who was raised up to take over my ESL classes. She is doing an amazing job and her work is far surpassing mine - this is what I was praying for. 

I went to Gringer to see all my guys. I spent 2 hours just catching up. They were like my brothers and we spent time together like a family reunion. The highlight of the visit was seeing Eddie. Some of you might recall Eddie from my previous newsletters. He and I struck a special friendship - he lived in the South Bronx and knew the streets for many, many years (he was 60 years old). God moved in his life and throughout the course of our friendship, he kicked a longtime heroin and alcohol addiction - all with God's help. He testifies today clean and sober, giving God all the glory. When I stopped by that day, he showed me something beautiful... his wedding ring. After 27 years and 4 children, he married his longtime mate Desi and can now legally call her his wife. WOW. I can't tell you how man conversations we had over marriage and making things right - now they are! I pray that God will continue to put back the pieces of his life. I ask you to join me. Young men in the community, most of whom are fatherless look up to him and open up to him. If God sent me to the Bronx just for Eddie - it was well worth it because of the younger men that can be reached-through a transformed God fearing man from the block.

I also returned to Harvest Church and saw all my friends, brothers and sisters. They are so beautiful and seeing them made my heart jump for joy. I miss them all so dearly and pray that they will continue the work without growing weary. 

(picture below is Eddie in 2006)

 

My First Breakfast

Today I cooked for the first time in my kitchen at my new place in Detroit. 

I made pancakes! Of course I didn't eat them all but it was fun making them!

I also tried out my new Allclad frying pan - my housewarming present to myself before moving. It cooks as nice as it looks!

Welcome to Detroit

Here I am. This is the sign I saw early that morning when I drove up to my new apartment in my new neighborhood.

I was greeted by my new landlord and saw for the first time my new place. Its a cute  1 bedroom on a peaceful and safe tree-lined block. 

My Journey Back Home

As life brings us all kinds of news with twists and turns, my also life has turned a corner.

After prayerful consideration and seeking wise counsel, I decided to move back to the Detroit area- the place where I was born and raised. It was a heart wrenching decision to leave the Bronx, the ministry and my job - everything was going well and life was good. I felt it was time to move on and it was time to move back home.

Not all my roots are pleasant roots. In fact, "home" has represented to me the land of pain and suffering. God has brought me though a long process of uprooting and replanting the hardships and hurts in my life. One day I asked God with tears and anguish in my heart why He would bring me back to the "land of pain". I told Him I would trust Him and be obedient to what He asked me to do - after all He's God. I heard a still small voice in my heart - God's voice and this is what He said to me --

"Daughter, I will bless you and use you in greater ways than before. Seek me and I will be with you every step of the way. The land of your greatest pain will also be the land of your greatest victory. Trust me and follow every step I put before you. It will be like you never imagined or thought. You must trust me and not look back to the former, but the latter. I'm opening doors even now says the Lord. It will be worth it."

I've only just begun the new journey around the corner. As I move and settle into my new apartment, I have peace - peace which passes all understanding and a promise from God.

Go Red Wings!

They won!

It was an amazing game and a nail biter all the way to the end.

Hockeytown lives on!

I wish I were he one who took this picture ....

Red Wings Continued

After staying up way too late to watch the Red Wings in triple overtime, they lost.

I'm still not giving up hope!

Red Wings Playoffs

I sit here watching the Detroit Red Wings - biting my nails and as they play in overtime in the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

If they win, they will take the Stanley Cup.

Being from the Detroit area, I will always love the Red Wings.

She got the job!

Hey Everyone......... just an update that Cuyler got an awesome job with Christian Dior! She started last week. All of her hard work payed off! She gets full benefits, great hours, a good work atmosphere and free stuff!!

I get to reap the benefits of elegant face cream and perfume!!

Congratulations!!!

To Catch a Kitty: Hunting in the Bronx

Last Saturday night, we were awakened by strange noises.

Curious about it, I opened the front door and when looking around I spotted a scared little kitten running away. Those strange noises were coming from a very frightened and cold baby kitty.

Wanting to rescue it, Cuyler and I put on our hat and boots, searching the yard and the neighbor's yard with a flashlight for the poor little kitty. No such luck.

Throughout the night, you could hear it crying and when we would try to find it, it was nowhere to be found.

Finally after two consecutive nights of hearing kitten cries and getting no sleep, Cuyler comes home from work with a trapping cage. Where on earth she found something like that in Manhattan is beyond me.

So she set it up, hoping and praying that we get the kitten and nothing else small and furry!
If it caught anything else, I declared I wouldn't go 10 feet near it!

The next morning, the cage was empty. Nothing yet - or so we thought.

Cuyler left for work and I jumped in the shower. After showering I heard noises outside and I knew what had happened. We caught a kitten!!

I went outside and sure enough, there was a scared little kitty in this little trap. It was really freaked out too!

My neighbor let us borrow a small cage, in which we kept the kitty until we could figure out what to do with it.


She ended up with the ASPCA.
She was treated with antibiotics and a week later, placed up for adoption.

My Roommates

I have two roommates, Shirley and Cuyler. I have lived with Shirley for the past four years and Cuyler joined us last August.

Originally, from Colorado Cuyler moved to NYC via Texas and found us through a friend of a friend. Normally we only have Christian roommates in our house (because it's most compatible with our personal values, ministry involvements and lifestyles) but as Shirley and I prayed about a new roommate, God put Cuyler on our hearts as our choice for a new roommate.
It was a good decision. We love her. She is such a blessing.

Snow in the City

We had a little snow storm yesterday. NYC is most beautiful when it snows. It brings a silent, fresh purity to an otherwise dirty, noisy and bustling city.

Imagine if the City of New York were to turn from their wickedness - I mean the whole city were to forsake their destructive ways and turn to Christ. A transformation would take place. The peace in the city would be like a holy hush, surpassing the temporal purity and beauty of a fresh snowfall. The best part, is that it wouldn't melt and turn black from the dirt - it would be forever and incorruptible. The beauty would be beyond measure.

What would it take for this to happen?


Pray for our city.

New York City needs a permanent transformation.


Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Ps 51:7

Missions Conference in Florida

I went to Good Shepherd Church of God in Pahokee, FL last weekend to attend their missions conference. They are a longtime sponsor of the work I do with Urban Harvest Ministries.
I travel there every year and give a report to the congregation of the work at UHM.

Each time I go, we have a great time and this year was no exception. One of the highlights and a nice surprise was seeing an old friend of mine from school, Silvina Gonzales. She is originally from Uruguay and is a medical missionary traveling all over South America. During her stay in the US to attend the seminary several years ago, we became very good friends. She is an amazing woman in her work and accomplishments.

Here is just one of many articles talking about her work:

Medical Missionaries Venture to Remote Churches of God

Prodigal Weight Watcher Update

I weighed in on Monday night and I lost 1.6 pounds!

I made it through my birthday and stayed on track - cake and all!!

My Birthday

It was my birthday Saturday.

The cake does NOT have a carrot for every year of my age.
I'm really 22!!!!

The Prodigal Weight Watcher Update

I lost 1.6 pounds this week. My efforts are paying off and I didn't even have to suffer this week!!!

I realize part of my problem was boredom - boredom of eating the same foods all the time and not mixing it up a little. This makes you wander across the fence into the danger zone of unhealthy foods.

I'm like that. I find something I like and I eat it so frequently that I get bored with it and move on to something else. I tried a few new things and ate a few things I haven't eaten in a while (Because I got bored of them).

Boredom can be very dangerous in any aspect of life!

Healthy Lifestyle

One thing that some of you may or may not know is that I'm a member of Weight Watchers.

Lately I've been the prodigal weight watcher.

I've been attending meetings for 3 years and have made it really close to being a lifetime member. In fact, I came so close it makes me want to cry!

A lifetime member is someone who made their goal weight and then maintains it for 6 weeks. After reaching lifetime status, you are able to attend meetings for free as long as you stay within two points of your goal weight. Going to the meetings will give you the accountability and motivation to stay on track. They're usually really good meetings if you get a good Weight Watchers leader (I have two really good ones! Thank God for Silmara and Courtney!)

I love the program because its not a diet as much as it teaches you to transform your lifestyle into a healthy eater - not a lifetime dieter with pent up hunger waiting to be unleashed.

Now that I'm in my 30's, I have to take my eating habits seriously and eat healthy to avoid potential health problems. Also exercise.

I've lost 25 pounds (depending on what week you ask me, it could be 20-22 pounds lost) but my total at my goal will be 29-30 pounds total weight loss. I've been at a plateau and stuck for almost 2 years.

Yes. Really sad isn't it? I made it to goal and was on my 5th week of maintenance (after your 6th week you turn into a Lifetime member) - then boom. Up a pound. Then up half a pound and stayed there. Then up another pound. I never made it to my 6th week to become a lifetime member.

I still haven't made it. In fact I was hovering just above the goal line for 2 years until last November I started to slowly cave in.

Now what was 5 pounds left to go is now 12 pounds! Yikes.

Most people would've quit, but not me. I'm determined to go all the way this time.

I want to be a lifetime member.

I want to make it and transform this area of my life.

Diet and exercise are key in your well being here on earth, outside of your walk with God

I'm trying to get back my motivation. My increasingly tight clothes and scale disappointments are starting to sink in.

Yesterday and today I tracked my points carefully.

I drank my all water as usual.

I dusted off my gym lock and went to the gym. I ran 1.5 miles. Its a start for someone who hasn't been in several months (good thing my gym membership is insanely cheap!).

I ate my vegetables!

Oh please pray for me!

New Years Eve

One of my good friends and former roommate, Diana came to visit us from Louisiana. She's living in the New Orleans area nowadays, teaching school.

After work, I met Diana and Peck near my job and we went to Chinatown for dinner. We tried what is called "Shabu Shabu". Its the Asian version of fondue. Instead of dipping things in a cheese pot, you have vegetables, noodles and meat that you put in your own personal temperature controlled soup pot full of savory broth. You customize it to your taste, adding oyster sauce, peppers, soy sauce, eggs and a wide assortment of condiments. The name "Shabu Shabu" derives from the swish-swish sound the soup makes while your making and eating it. Here is a link that explains the origins http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabu_shabu

It was delicious, as you can tell by our pictures and really fun!



Afterwards, we headed back to my place for tea and coffee. We prayed together for the New Year and all thing things we anticipate in 2008. We had a beautiful time of prayer for one another and thanking God for what He did in 2007 and what He's going to do in 2008.

Just before the "Happy New Year" hour, we drove to the Church and celebrated with our Harvest Church family. We have some new additions to our family and it was a blessing to come together for a New Years celebration.

This is going to be a great year! Still with its challenges and trials that we can't avoid, they come with a victorious outcome, more so than we could have anticipated - all because God is with us and His promises are yes and amen! We will look back and say "It was worth it. Thank You Jesus!" Because we are promised to be more than conquerers through Him who loved us.

Happy 2008!