https://ajflanagan.com Updates from AJ Flanagan https://ajflanagan.com/blog/when-no-thanks-blocks-a-blessing https://ajflanagan.com/blog/when-no-thanks-blocks-a-blessing <div>A few months ago, I heard something that stuck with me.</div><div><br></div><div>I was watching a guy on YouTube who goes around doing things for people—acts of service, completely free, no strings attached. And when people try to pay him or give something back, he usually says, “Just pay it forward.” But a couple of times, he paused and said something different...</div>]]> Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:13:59 CDT https://ajflanagan.com/blog/wanting-instant-redemption-choosing-silence https://ajflanagan.com/blog/wanting-instant-redemption-choosing-silence <div>I’ve had a few situations lately where I really wanted to defend myself… like, not just calmly explain, but jump up and say, “That’s not even close to true.” And, since I’m always honest with you, part of me doesn’t just want to set the record straight… I want people to realize how ridiculous it all is. I want instant redemption.</div><div><br></div><div>But I've started thinking… if someone came at me like that... all loud and emotional, telling me I’m wrong... would that actually change my mind? Probably not. I’d shut down. Or get defensive. Or just think, “Wow… ooookaaaay.” (This has happened before and it didn’t exactly make me see their side.)</div><div><br></div><div>That mini epiphany has me rethinking something else...</div>]]> Sat, 21 Mar 2026 15:24:19 CDT https://ajflanagan.com/blog/maybe-it-s-not-a-time-problem-maybe-it-s-a-bandwidth-problem https://ajflanagan.com/blog/maybe-it-s-not-a-time-problem-maybe-it-s-a-bandwidth-problem <div>The other day, a notification popped up on my phone for a new episode of a podcast I usually enjoy. My first reaction was to swipe it away and think, I don’t have time for that. It was an automatic response, the kind you barely think about before moving on.</div><div><br></div><div>A moment later, though, I caught myself...</div>]]> Sat, 14 Mar 2026 21:36:37 CDT https://ajflanagan.com/blog/the-peace-of-not-having-an-opinion-about-everything https://ajflanagan.com/blog/the-peace-of-not-having-an-opinion-about-everything <div>There was a time when I felt like I should have an opinion about just about everything. If something was being debated, I figured I probably ought to know where I stood on it.</div><div><br></div><div>Somewhere along the way, that expectation quietly faded. Now when I see a headline, a debate, or a heated conversation online, I don&rsquo;t automatically feel the urge to weigh in anymore...</div>]]> Sat, 07 Mar 2026 22:28:14 CDT https://ajflanagan.com/blog/i-wouldn-t-have-done-this-30-years-ago https://ajflanagan.com/blog/i-wouldn-t-have-done-this-30-years-ago <div>Starting first. Figuring it out later.</div><div><br></div><div>When Jennifer and I decided to start a podcast about local history, it meant trying something completely new at this stage of life — something neither of us had ever done before. Like, EVER...</div>]]> Sat, 28 Feb 2026 17:34:29 CDT https://ajflanagan.com/blog/the-way-i-care-for-my-body-is-the-way-i-m-choosing-to-live https://ajflanagan.com/blog/the-way-i-care-for-my-body-is-the-way-i-m-choosing-to-live <div>If you've been reading my blogs lately, you've probably noticed that I’ve been using the words "calm" and "simple" to describe the direction I want for my life these days.</div><div><br></div><div>Those words have been shaping a lot of my decisions. I’m choosing a slower pace, fewer extremes, and more than a little extra intention about what I take on and what I let go of. I'm getting better at pausing, thinking, and praying before plowing ahead. It's a shift that's working well for me...</div><div><br></div>]]> Sat, 21 Feb 2026 20:10:23 CDT https://ajflanagan.com/blog/stop-saving-the-good-stuff-for-someday https://ajflanagan.com/blog/stop-saving-the-good-stuff-for-someday <div>The other day I opened the cabinet to grab a bowl for dinner and noticed something I’ve apparently been ignoring for years. Right over there in my china compared are the "special" ones — the pretty bowls and plates that are part of a set of dishes my grandparents gave me. And without even thinking about it, I always grab one of the plain, practical bowls to use every day.</div><div><br></div><div>That’s when the question hit me...</div>]]> Sat, 14 Feb 2026 17:56:05 CDT https://ajflanagan.com/blog/some-things-that-worked-fine-before-we-made-them-complicated https://ajflanagan.com/blog/some-things-that-worked-fine-before-we-made-them-complicated <div>The other day I wrote my grocery list on a scrap of paper instead of typing it into my phone like a modern, efficient human.</div><div><br></div><div>And you know what?</div><div>I didn’t lose it.</div><div>I didn’t forget to open an app.</div><div>I didn’t get distracted by three notifications and end up ordering socks online.</div><div><br></div><div>I just… bought the groceries.</div><div><br></div><div>It made me laugh a little...</div>]]> Sat, 07 Feb 2026 08:10:28 CDT https://ajflanagan.com/blog/note-to-self-multitasking-isn-t-the-flex-you-think-it-is https://ajflanagan.com/blog/note-to-self-multitasking-isn-t-the-flex-you-think-it-is <div>The other day I sat down with my laptop to “finally get some things done.”</div><div><br></div><div>You know… it was going to be one of those very productive, get-my-life-together kind of mornings.</div><div><br></div><div>I opened my laptop with full intention to start on one project.</div><div><br></div><div>But before I could begin, my brain chimed in:</div>]]> Sat, 31 Jan 2026 20:16:55 CDT https://ajflanagan.com/blog/my-calm-morning-most-days-what-s-actually-working-for-me https://ajflanagan.com/blog/my-calm-morning-most-days-what-s-actually-working-for-me <div>I’m still under the covers. Eyes mostly closed. Brain not fully online yet. And I’ve got the <a href="https://dwellapp.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="default-link-style"><strong>Dwell app</strong></a> playing — daily Scripture and a short lesson.</div><div><br></div><div>It’s the easiest win of my whole day.</div>]]> Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:11:00 CDT