dna

so...as I was sitting in my human genetics class this morning, i found something that was worth pondering.......something that made sence(sp) to me. (i got an "A" in Engl 101 AND 102, i swear!) i think i have A.D.D...
ANYWAY! ....

what caught my attention in class was the way my teacher was explaining DNA replication. a brief overview into the process of DNA replication is that RNA, which are copies of DNA sequences, are used to copy DNA sequences in order to create new DNA structures. yes, it sounds complicated but actually you wouldn't know it given the teaching style my teacher uses to explain it. his style is what caught my attention and initiated this post.

while explaining the replication process that RNA uses, he used an analogy:
"The genetic language used to replicate DNA is very similar to the english language used to communicate information."

i was hooked. my curiosity was peaked and wouldn't you know it, i was actually anxious to learn for once, which is suprising, given that i can't stand school any longer and i just want to be done, finished, bye-bye, no school, no homework....

as i was saying....the point of all that was....i was hooked.

my teacher then preceeded to point out a few things in the genetic replication "language" that had similarities to the english language. for example, in the english language capital letters denote the beginning of a sentence, (i'm trying to be a rebell at this point in my life or i'm trying to be cool, who knows but i'm obviously defying that rule!)........[A.D.D]......periods denote the end of a sentence, letters make up words and certain combinations and numbers of letters make up specific words.

this is also true with the genetic language of DNA replication that happens with RNA. (constant reiteration of what i'm learning helps to store the information in my brain's permanent storage facility. :) )

it just so happens that in the genetic language, the "AUG" combination (in that order) is what acts as the capital letter, a sequence of 100-150 adenines is what acts as the period, and the only words in the genetic language are three letter words. (man, that's one brutal language!) also, the genetic language is "read" from left to right, always going from 5' to 3'. (this means nothing to most of you unless you've taken genetics but again, reiteration is good for me.)

so, in getting to my main point.....the question i found myself asking was, "why is it so easy for me to understand human genetics, yet i cannot understand chemistry for the life of me!??" i've failed chemistry twice. i do not get it. my brain is protesting the learning of chemistry.

after pondering that question, i decided it was because my genetics teacher understands and uses the power of analogy. now, i realize that there are some people who can learn without analogies, but EVERYONE nevertheless, can understand analogy. at least it would seem like everyone could, if the right analogy was used.

then it hit me. Jesus used a TON of analogies when he was teaching. it just dawned on me that Jesus was using a teaching strategy that would/could relate to EVERYONE......not just those who could learn simply through reading/hearing it. in the use of analogies, the topic that i'm trying to learn is put in tangible form for me to absorb it's meaning.

then i wondered if it might have been a little harder for the teachers of The Law to understand what Jesus was trying to teach them because they ONLY knew how to learn through reading. they spent ALL their time focusing on The Law, it wasn't understood by them in a tangible form for them to absorb it's deeper meaning.

i think Jesus struggled to communicate to everyone in a tangible way, but for those who ONLY understood and learned through reading and who didn't understand analogies, were somewhat at a loss to understand fully what Jesus was trying to communicate. i think this is why Jesus tried to make it especially clear to the teachers of The Law NOT to focus ONLY on the laws but to focus on the relationship because THAT is where the deeper meaning comes into play. THAT is where God calls us to follow Him....and THAT is what God calls us to DO.....have a relationship with Him. get to know Him on a deeper level....that there is a deeper meaning to it all.

on a personal note (as if that wasn't personal enough) i've been feeling guilty lately about not spending enough time reading the Bible and spending a quiet time with God.....but, i feel like this epiphany today was God trying to communicate to me. trying to tell me that i shouldn't be feeling guilty about not spending time in the word but that i should feel compelled on a deeper level to absorb Him and to use the Bible as a resource, just like I would a textbook. i also feel like He's telling me that the Bible is not the only place he can speak to me. this class epiphany was a classic example of the many ways He can speak.

that said. i'm starving and need to go eat since i've skipped lunch to write this post. i'm A.D.D. so i needed to write it all out before i forgot or lost motivation! :) over-n-out