The first activity in the Shaolin Morning Exercise is hydration. Drinking warm water with lemon gives electrolytes, vitamin C, and potassium to your system. That's what this YouTube video told me.

However, I could not consume a whole lemon at once. I divided it into three uses. I am concerned that the remaining part would contract a bacteria if not preserved. This made me think of the necessity to purchase a small fridge. My budget was 5,000.00 PHP.

A Way to Reward Myself

I asked my officemates the way to obtain the fridge. They suggested two ways: through home credit or an informal installment plan. However, after some exchanges of ideas, the idea that prevailed was for me to ask for a loan or a "cash advance" from the business office, and then the payment would be deducted monthly from my salary. In this case, I will not pay any interest.

Our registrar volunteered to drive for us. And so yesterday, we visited SM City Dasmariñas and bought the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the allotted budget is too small. I didn't anticipate the increasing prices of appliances. The final amount ended up three times what my original plan was. And so last night, the appliance was delivered to our school.

Buying a fridge is a way to reward myself. I have been working hard for so long. However, yesterday was different. My colleagues agreed to buy a Condura ref because it is known for reliable cooling performance, energy efficiency, and durability.

In addition to that cooling appliance, I also bought a massage gun and a black polo.

A Desperate Plea

Now, for my Psalm reading:

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts, and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? (Psalm 13:1-2).

The fourfold "how long" caught my attention. Instead of a lack of faith, this persistent questioning signifies desperation in seeking help amid God's silence and seemingly delayed response.

To make the verses more concrete and relatable, I would like to imagine these words being used in a romantic relationship. There is this forgetfulness, followed by ghosting and internal mental turmoil, and culminating in physical suffering. Such is the experience of those who suffered their hearts having been broken by infidelity and betrayal.

The pain of being forgotten and abandoned by the person we once loved is emotionally and mentally painful. This might also cause us to withdraw and isolate ourselves from the community.

Using a romantic relationship as an illustration, we find both continuity and discontinuity as we compare it to the kind of relationship with God described in our text. It started with a spiritual distance. Then there is this relational silence followed by internal tension and external defeat. This tells us that the feeling of spiritual distance from God affects the whole person—spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and socially.

Overall, the above verses tell us the depth of human suffering and that the psalmist's example teaches us that bringing our pain, confusion, and doubts in prayer is not only honest but is also allowed by God.

Grace and peace!