More on Donald Miller

The first thing I do when I got interested in an author is to look him up, check him out. I signed up for his blogs so I will see what he is doing. Remarkable story of a person and he has a plan. Affiliations are not off the wall.

I will get back to his question in a moment but want to share that I called Karen Ellis Brown for her birthday today and we talked a long time. She is troubled by some of the things that are going on down there and Rick Reed is in bad shape. Carolyn Howlett Fox fell Saturday and broke her ankle--already fighting cancer. Harriett was coming to Cape tomorrow about checking her liver. Terrible to grow old. I can't think of my life without them.

Margaret Randol Dement came over tonight and we visited. She is my neighbor but we don't see each other much. I need to see her more. I will after I have more time.Liz is working every day this week and she is pouring out the work. Jim Limbaugh emailed that he was getting his stuff in and Gene Burgess said he would give the University a big gift next year if I wouldn't make him get a photo. I sent it to the Development VP. Biggest gift he will get next year.

Now to think about Donald Miller and the two questions:

The story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it. My view on this is that the character struggles always with wants/conflicts throughout life. The character also struggles with how much is too much in wanting something --would it involve tearing up the life of another or tearing up a family, etc. It has to be balanced with a sense that everything in this life is not centered around me. That is not the mark of a self-centered character but an ego-centered character.

Characters have to face their greatest fears with courage. That may be true and it may not be true. Depend upon whether the fear is great enough to demand that it be matched with courage.

He goes on to say that the greatest fears are relational --fear of being rejected.

Once you know what it takes to live a better story, you don't have a choice. (yes, you do)

I have to read all this again. It is his writing style and I agree with his premises. But he is too pronounced in his statements. I demand more from him (even if the book was free) and I will continue to glean from him.