Category: Personal

I received something via UPS yesterday. It’s fun. It takes pictures. It’s a camera.

I like my new camera. I enjoying seeing the world through it’s lens. Sometimes I feel as though a camera should be attached to me wherever I go. It just feels at times I need to take a picture or something. Maybe that’s why I’m shayCAM.

It’s been too hot lately. Seriously, I went outside at like 9:30 this morning to take something to the post office and I’m using my AC in my car. Then I felt I needed a Slurpee so I went to 7-11 and picked one up. It’s really hot. They say California is in trouble. Too much power being used to cool us down. It’s a funny thing to me. We rely on the fact that not everyone will use their power at the same time. So then we overload the power grids when we all want our living spaces nice and cool. Sounds to me like whoever designed this power grid did it during the winter, forgetting about the hot hot hot summer. Nevermind the power.. aghh.

Here’s a cop at 7-11. Honestly, I felt safer.

Wow, I’m a nerd. No, really. I had a blog over 5 years ago. Today marks the 5th year of what I called “Shaycam 2”. Shaycam 2 was my effort to revamp my entire shaycam site before July 19th, 2001. Before that I believe that my site was only visited.. well.. by me. In an effort to bring in more visitors to shaycam (5 years ago) I added sweet features like a daily journal, photos, and even an “about me” section (which I believe was completely pointless). Now, the better option would’ve been to change that weird hair, but oh well. We live and learn.

So, 5 years in the blogging. I’ve been typing away and the clock is ticking away. So many days have passed. So many blogs never written…. so sad. But that’s OK. I wonder where I’ll be in 5 years. Do you ever think about that? I mean, 5 years seems like a lot of time. I might even have kids by then? Wow, that would be crazy. Little shaycam’s running around. Haha, makes me laugh.

Ok, one last thing. I thought it would be fun to show you what I wrote on this day only 5 years ago:

July 19th 2001

Today I am bringing you the new and improved shaycam site. It’s been an excellent journey along the cam “road” and I hope that you will join me with a new look to the site that I am calling “Shaycam2.”

I will periodically be updating this journal with information about my daily life and what’s going on around the cam. Also I’ll try to put a few special cam pictures on here. Check here daily for any new posts I might add. ok.. peace out.
Posted by Shay at 1:00 PM

Please play this video before reading any further:

The other day my wife and I were watching a new show called “Treasure Hunters” which we are really excited about. The first week of the show had a lot of hype and we were excited about it. The basic premise of the show is that all these teams are out to find treasure worth millions and there are clues all around the United States (If you have seen “National Treasure” it has the same concept). Yet when they were introducing the contestants of the show we were intrigued to see that a pastor, his wife, and his daughter were a team in the competition. As a Christian it is always intriguing to see when other claiming Christians are on TV shows, especially reality type shows.

That’s when we saw the above clip. It was actually the first interview they showed of the “Fogal Family.” To be perfectly honest, it really made me mad. I didn’t even really want to blog about it, but I feel it is necessary to say where I stand on this issue, the issue being integrity. In the above clip you will see that Brad says that they are basically willing to lie to get ahead in the game. In fact, he goes as far as to say that they can “ask for forgiveness later”.. and “.. I don’t think we’re beyond that.” You don’t think you’re beyond that?! Did Brad leave his faith at the door? I am really not one to try and bring down someone or publicly shame them, but this man is a preacher of the Word of God and that’s pretty serious. In fact, it’s a lot more serious than the millions of dollars he has a chance to win. Why did he compromise? That’s my question. I guess my heart is really in tune to this lately as we have been studying the life of Daniel in church. Daniel was such a man of integrity that even when it meant his certain death, he did not compromise. Even when it meant he would lose face in front of the entire kingdom, he did not compromise. Even when it meant he would lose his job, he did not compromise. And even when it meant he would be thrown into a den of lions, he did not compromise. But the Lord blessed Daniel. Daniel was saved from the mouths of lions and saved from the hands of evil men.

When someone compromises they lose any integrity they once had. Though this man Brad may be a long time pastor and preacher of God’s Word, the entire nation now knows that he is willing to lie to get ahead. He is willing to openly break God’s law for the sake of some gold coins. I am the first to admit that I am not perfect and won’t be until Jesus Christ returns, but I understand the job of any pastor or man in leadership or any Christian for that matter. When Brad made that statement he not only brought a reproach upon himself, but upon other Christians as well. Because of his position (as a pastor) he is usually seen as the “elite” or “MVP” of the Christian faith, and when he decides to toss his integrity in one sentence it doesn’t really help those other Christians who are trying to walk rightly and witness to their friends.

Let me finish with this. In Proverbs 25:26 it reads, “Like a trampled spring and a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.” Basically, it’s saying the person who compromises (“gives way before the wicked”) is useless. It describes this person in the terms “polluted well” or “trampled spring.” A well that has been polluted is no good. It might have been a great source of nourishment and refreshment before, but now it is dangerous to drink because of the pollution. If you are reading this and you are brother or sister in Christ, hold fast to your integrity like the men and women who have done so before us. The Lord will bless you and even a chest of gold isn’t worth the loss of your integrity and God’s blessing.

PS. A link to Brad Fogal’s bio can be found here.

WOW! I have known about this rumor for a while now, but today I found it true! Free Slurpees at 7-11! They come in what my wife would call “cute little” cups which are 7.11 ounces.

Here are a few pictures of my free Slurpee cup

The history of Slurpee can be read here! Also click on FACTS for some fun stuff about the great Slurpee drink!

Here is the weekend in review… we might call it, in a nutshell. Had the opportunity to be with a family from our church this weekend at their lake house at Lake Isabella. These pictures should help sum up our two days away. The wife and I were stoked to go and as you can see it was filled with goodness.

Enjoy the pictures and have a safe and happy July 4th.

This one is for the guitar lover in me.

No, that’s not “12 Steps to Recovery”! It’s actually 2 friends of my wife and I that are on there way to Florida in a truck they call “Baby”. It’s a great blog for those of you wanting to watch the progress of 2 girls in a small blue truck make their way across the nation. Hilarious at times even! The basic plot is they are driving a truck from western Washington state to Florida to deliver it to some missionaries in the Bahamas. The truck is full of stuff for the missionaries and when they drop it off they are going to fly back. It’s a good time, and you read their progress across the 12 states they drive through. Check it out at 12 States to Glory. If Tony the Tiger was here he would say, “They’re Greeeeeeeeat!”

Oh, and one more thing. I was concerned today when my weather widget showed this on my desktop this morning.

I saw this duck on the lake today. My dad used to tell us this story about Daffy Duck when I was a kid. It was something he learned on a record he had when he was growing up. No seriously, it was a record: vinyl, grooves, hole in the middle, etc. The story would always start (as if daffy duck was saying it): “… boy oh boy what a bunch of ducks on the lake today.. ” This picture reminded me of that.. those were good days.

It was good day. Bethany’s boss gave her a half day and invited us out on a nearby lake for some boating, swimming, and tubing. So much fun! I really needed to get out of the apartment. I haven’t been working much lately and sitting in the apartment all day reading and creating and doing nothing has been kind of getting to me. If I knew what “cabin fever” was I’m pretty sure it’s close to what I have. Anyway, getting back to the tubing. I caught this shot of Bethany as she was going outside the wake for the first time. She had never been tubing before on a tube like this. You pretty much get on, hang on for dear life, and it’s up to the driver of the boat after that. All in all, it was 5 hours of awesome.

We are both sore now though. That’s probably why we just sat on the bed and watched “A League of Their Own.” Good movie. I was happy to watch it again. Tom Hanks does a great job in that movie. Kind of a funny role for him, but good. It’s hot in our apartment. I don’t know what it is about this place, but we’re on the 3rd floor and I think the heat gets trapped up here somewhere. Maybe sometime I should elaborate more on where I live, it’s a funny place. Ok, onward to the 10 o’clock news and late night television. And if you haven’t been in the water yet, you’re 2 days late; summer started on the 21st!

PS!! I just found the recording that my dad used to say! Took me like 2 hours, I’m stoked. CLICK TO LISTEN!

This is me with Ricky Bobby. We took this picture after seeing the movie Cars. It was fantastic. I have no idea who Ricky Bobby is though. I think in some parts of the U.S. people would be upset that I don’t know who he is. The truth is I could probably Google him right now, but I just don’t feel like it.

Speaking of how I feel, I was up all night with a really bad stomach ache. I’m still not feeling so hot. I’m not sure if I got food poisoning at Red Robin or my body couldn’t handle the fact that I went out to eat twice yesterday. It was a good day with friends of eating out and seeing a movie, but when I got home it wasn’t so hot. The details of this don’t need to be explained.

Getting back to Cars The Movie, it was seriously great. The Disney and Pixar combo is genius, it really is. I have yet to be really disappointed by those two. Not to spoil the movie (which what I am about to say won’t), Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a cameo. If you could think of one car that would embody Arnold, what do you think it would be? Well, you’ll have to see the movie to find out what they thought. If I was a car I think I would be a stretched limo. I need something that’s kind of tall, white, and loves lots of people to be around. If I was a limo we could have a party all the time. I would have good music, lots of soda with ice, a sunroof, and even a phone. I would be great. What kind of car would you be?

Click to play while you read my post (it’s important, this blog is to be read to this song)

Tomorrow is my birthday. I’m turning 22. It would seem that the past 22 years have been well, a time of learning. I learned how to talk, how to walk, go to the bathroom on my own, how to ride a bike, learn my ABC’s, throw a ball, kick a ball, write in cursive, get in trouble, get a friend, sleep over at a friend’s house, get a bad grade, blog, graduate from middle school, become a freshman in high school, sleep in, get a job, quit a job, drive a car, go to a dance, have some drama, complete my high school education, own a car, get another job, go to college, get married, and last but not least I have learned that no matter how much I learn, I can’t outrun time. There’s no way for me to beat the clock of life, it just keeps ticking.

Recently we have been studying the book of Daniel in church. My pastor has been quick to point out that Daniel’s life is marked by a Godly character and from his young age of sixteen to his late eightees Daniel walked with the Lord. The better question is to ask myself if in my twenty-two years on this earth if I have walked for the Lord? Because when that “clock of life” stops ticking I will be held responsible for what I have done here. I can’t escape that, and I don’t plan to. I was just asking myself this week and I said, “Self, are you at a different place in your spiritual life then you were a year ago?” It’s a good question. I think I am, but I know it should more clear than just “I think..”

And if you didn’t catch the lyrics to the song above I have added them here.

“Let That Be Enough”
by : Switchfoot

I wish I had what I needed
To be on my own
‘Cause I feel so defeated
And I’m feeling alone

And it all seems so helpless
And I have no plans
I’m a plane in the sunset
With nowhere to land

And all I see
It could never make me happy
And all my sand castles
Spend their time collapsing

Let me know that You hear me
Let me know Your touch
Let me know that You love me
And let that be enough

It’s my birthday tomorrow
No one here could know
I was born this Thursday
22 years ago

And I feel stuck
Watching history repeating
Yeah, who am I?
Just a kid who knows he’s needy

Let me know that You hear me
Let me know Your touch
Let me know that You love me
And let that be enough