I worry constantly. I worry about what I say, what I type, what I do – I spend my life terrified that someone might prove me wrong, or worse, prove me wrong publicly. My inner monologue consists of so much self-doubt that my brain constantly hurts. I’m not stupid – I’ve got a good degree and a good job - but inside I’m a nervous wreck. If I’m near a computer I’ll check everything I say and everything I type. Online dictionaries, encyclopedias, news sites - every possible source until I’m certain that I’m correct. When I’m away from a PC, peace of mind is just a few short clicks away via my phone’s internet browser. Even simple words and facts get double and triple checked. In the past few days I’ve googled the dictionary definitions of ‘innocuous’, ‘default’ and ‘good egg’. Have a look at an excerpt from my Facebook page last night. You might think that I come across as calm and authoritative in this exchange, but when Mark posted “You’ve not done your maths right” a part of me nearly died. I started sweating and blushing. I felt sick. In the minutes between my “Prove it” and Mark’s retraction I felt like I wanted to burn down the entire world… and I was right! Can you imagine what would happen to me if I was actually proven wrong? But you will never prove me wrong, because by the time that I open my mouth to speak, hover my cursor over ’Post’ or press my thumb against the ‘Send’ button – I am Right.

Local Natives - Wide Eyes: “Could it ever be on earth as it is in heaven?” [IMAGE]

Note to members of shop staff: if I approach the counter of your emporium holding items and my debit card, this should be taken as a sign that I have decided what to buy and am ready to pay. I do not require several minutes of "jaunty" banter on the merits of my purchases, nor on the weather or the quality of music on the radio. Just let me pay for my stuff and leave. Thank you.

May: SailingWe chartered a boat from Isle of Skye Yachts with his sister and a friend from his Day Skipper course.We had several plans in mind, but being wind dependant ended up choosing a circumnavigation of Mull. Our route was as follows:Ardvasar (Skye) - Rhum - Tobermory - Loch Spelve (Mull) - Iona - Bunessan (Mull) - Staffa - Treshnish - Coll - Eigg - Doune (Knoydart) - Ardvasar(Overnight

[IMAGE] Hi Hows it goin? I have to make an announcement.An important announcement.But I'm not going to make it now.This is just the advance warning.As regular readers will know at the beginning of the year I set myself 10 Challenges. Amongst these challenges were two super secret amazingly awesome projects. Super secret amazingly awesome project number one was meant to be a surprise party for my mate Dr Kev, but due to various circumstances, (his girlfriend told him) that was called off. Over the past few months I have been working very hard on super secret amazingly awesome project number two. And it is complete. What is my super secret amazingly awesome project I hear you ask? Well all will be revealed, tomorrow. At the crack of noon. See you then. Thats All For Now Until Next Time Have A Nice Andy G If you want to get all the crap I write delivered straight to your inbox then go to www.TheBlogOfAndyG.com and put your email address in the wee box that says "subscribe." If you subscribed already then you would already know what my important announcement is, and it would have worked out better for you. Your loss.

September is not exactly a common favourite month of the year. Summer is fading, we get those first cold, wet days, days when we wake up to the sound of the rain whipping against the window panes. The nights start to draw in and everything seems to have lost its lustre. I’ve had to try extra hard to find the positive aspects of this month, but it is important to see that there is beauty and happiness around. ------- September’s secrets There’s beauty in every month You just have to look ------- I love the windy days of September and getting washing dried outside and doing some clearing out ready for winter. This photo is from last September at our rental flat. image ------- I remember this song from my summer at camp in the USA, at Camp Hoover, after a summer in New Jersey it was time to head home to Scotland with many new memories and friendships. Mmm I want to linger, mmm a little longer, mmm a little longer here with you. It's such a peaceful night , it doesn't seem quite right, that this should be our last with you. And come September, I will remember, our campfire days and friendships true, And as the days go by, I'll think of you and sigh, this is goodnight and not goodbye. ------- I’m looking forward to windy walks along the beach this month, I love beach walks on windy days when the fresh air is blown into you and gets rid of all the cobwebs making you feel refreshed. Sometimes it’s even warm enough for a paddle – this photo is from last September when my parents came to visit. P9060024 ------- Does anyone else remember this poem from school? It still comes to mind sometimes when I’m trying to work out the date! 30 days hath September, April, June and November, All the rest have 31, Excepting February alone. Which only has but 28 days clear And 29 in each leap year ------- Other September Posts: September Begins – Thoughts on what I was looking forward to last September Things I’ve Realised Recently – I started to reflect on recent events last September In September 2005 we visited Paris and created lots of great memories image ------- As the leaves begin to change, Don’t mourn the summer rays. Embrace the golden beauty, Of the new September days. P8310684_crop ------- What does September have in store for you? [Linking up to Jenn’s Sensational Haiku Wednesday at You Know… That Blog] Our monthly newsletter goes out this week too, have you signed up for it? [IMAGE]

Schadenfreude for the day: Trucks running into a low bridge: There’s a railroad trestle in Durham, NC that is so low there’s a website dedicated to showing us all the trucks that get into accidents there. Now that, my friends, is putting the internet to… [IMAGE]

Keeping it interesting as a young preacher: Since University I have spoken quite a few times at churches on what we are doing in South Africa, but only once been asked to give a bonafide ‘preach’. Pretty scary stuff, but these are some interesting insights I read today: Hi! I’m Tom.: Keeping it interesting as a young preacher Some really great advice: Experienced preachers often get asked by young preachers to give them advice on their craft. How do I preach better? Should I preach longer? Or shorter? Should I use illustrations? Should I use a full script or just notes? Each preacher develops opinions on these… [IMAGE]

Each month I pick a featured reader or writer who I admire. It can be someone who writes inspirational posts, a reader who joins in the discussion with engaging comments, someone I aspire to blog like, anyone really who I feel like highlighting! This month I’m highlighting Melissa at A Familiar Path. [IMAGE] About A Familiar Path A Familiar Path is one of the first blogs I read and followed, it’s so easy to warm to Melissa; she has such a great sense of humour and honesty in her blogging. On Melissa’s About Page she has written the following, which I think sums up her blogging very well: “Most days I can barely hear my own thoughts above the sound of kids arguing, the baby crying at my ankles while I cook supper and the dogs barking at the cat, but at night, I sit down here to write and all I can remember are the sweet, simple moments of the day.” “What I want to remember are these everyday, ordinary moments that when strung together over days and seasons make up this all too familiar path. So I put them down here. I write to preserve those moments.” Some Great Posts Some of my favourite posts include: 18 Months where Melissa lists the things that she really wants to remember from right now, about her beautiful daughter Tess. In a recent post, saying no Melissa explains why she feels the need to say no sometimes to her kids but she also says yes to other things: “But, I say yes to a lot of things too. Yes to imagination, yes to painting with watercolors in my kitchen, yes to pulling out the fabric and creating whatever you want, yes to playing all day instead of school, yes, to painting my fingernails 4 different colors.” Recently Melissa has been recounting their Financial Journey, it’s a really interesting and admirable story. On a less serious note I can always rely on A Familiar Path for a place to laugh as well, my recent favourite being Melissa’s first Bridal Shoot. What great blogs would you recommend? [IMAGE]

“Am I a Christian? Go and ask my enemy or the poor. They know if I am really a Christian or not.”” - - Shane Claiborne (via @Neil_Cole)[IMAGE]