How Will I Fit It ALL In?

I was hit with another idea for a novel last night. Doesn't mean it will be any good, or that I have to pursue it. But it sounds very cool to me and I will at least have to explore it. I've written a synopsis and started a fresh notebook (always critical to my writing endeavors is a fresh notebook. Not neccesarily new—I'd prefer brand new, but a rejuvenated used one with scribbles removed works.)

Now, how do I fit it all in? Time is not my friend! I often think I can write at work, but that's difficult: creativity is stunted when the phone rings or I have to track down a pickup number for a driver. But I do scribble down scenes and snippets of dialogue. And I add to this blog!

At home, I try to write on my "weekends" (Thursday & Friday) after everyone else goes to bed, but by that time my muse often has gone to sleep too and reading or watching a movie seems more appealing to my wide awake but creativity-numbed mind. The ideal time seems to be the first 2 hours after I wake up. My internal censor still seems to be sleeping and I can really smith some words! On days when Minda and Andrew are on an outing, I try to get a few hundreed words down.

So that is one thing I would like to ask God for: time and focus to write on my novel(s).

My wife, Minda, has listed 10 things she is asking God for, knowing that God loves her and wants to give her the desires of her heart. I don't want to copy my wife's blog too much (she was first to do a Geocaching post), but our lives are intertwined, so there's bound to be some overlap in the blogosphere! And I think we both know that God knows what are truly the desires of our hearts and we can only hope to line up our list with His.

Here's my list, in no particular order:

1. The time and focus to write (deeply) on a regular basis
2. Success with publishing/marketing the novels I am writing
3. Healing or a final resolution for my mother (Yes, Father God, I am asking you to take Mom or heal her.)
4. Enough money to live my dream lifestyle without worrying about bills/taxes (Dear Father God, please note this is NOT a desire to be rich, just comfortably worry-free)
5. A home that allows me to keep and work 2 hawks and 2 Vizslas
6. A new, successful business that allows me to include my stepson Jason as well as a legacy to leave for Andrew (and Jason if he wants; I know he has entrepreneurial plans of his own.)
7. To live long enough and healthy enough to enjoy Andrew's children (sorry, Father God, I know that's a tall order!)
8. Success at meeting my weight goals and more importantly, success at keeping it off to the end of my days. (Approximately 5 pounds away from April 14 goal!)
9. Successfully bowhunt deer this year (and grow my friendship with Mike along the way to that.)
10. Most importantly: A perpetually deepening relationship with God.

There it is. I'm not asking too much am I? My wife seems to think I'm a dreamer! Me!