Noam Chomsky

Okay,Noam Chomsky is this language acquisition theorist ( note that his name sounds like Nomi,a common joke in college).He believes that there is a critical period in which a person can learn a language with ease.Within this period they can get a grasp on grammar rules almost subconsciously but outside of it it seems more difficult.I haven't decided if I fully agree with him yet.I always found french and Irish hard in school but never had a problem with English,only that I wrote too much.I think to put an upper limit on something might be a bit harsh.


I think that and then I think again.There's an age where you begin to stop playing with your barbie dolls and give them away.There's an age when you realize the bells you thought you heard on the roof every christmas eve were just your imagination and the red dots on your face are not freckles but a sign that you're growing up.


There comes a time when you have to throw that old yoghurt out of the fridge and when your 7up has gone to flat to drink.There comes a day when those rosy cheeks your parents told you were cute need to be hidden from society and there comes a stage when you have to consider whether or not you can really make someone believe what you want them to.


I was hanging out with a friend today and it seems like they think that Christianity is something you just grow out of.They think you reach a certain age and it's not relevant anymore.Stories like Noah's ark are for kids and anything after that is none of their concern.Singing songs at beach missions was nice but once you have to step up and lead it's not for you.I don't know for sure but that's the way it seems.


As I grew up my opinions shifted from believing what my parents and teachers told me straight off to going and finding out for myself.I remember my mum told me a Greenday song mentioned drugs and as a wannabe rocker yet obedient oldest daughter I made it my business to find out for myself.(The song did mention drugs but I never admitted it,I could get away with the hoody but put drugs into the equation and it was a goner!)It was at this stage that I decided I could listen to what I wanted,I was my own free person.I had surpassed the stage where my parents had complete control.


I guess there is a certain progression there and a stage that you move on from.I used to believe everything I heard about God until I reached a point where I questioned it all and it made me look deeper into things,I guess in a sense that was my critical period.It all happened at the right time and now that I'm outside of it I find it hard to see why I had those doubts.What I'm going to explain next will seem critical and if you're reading this I don't want you to think I haven't asked spiritual questions myself.


So I spend most weekends having conversations with one of my friends.They ask me numerous questions that I struggle to answer about faith and God and the church.Usually things that never bother me,'why does my brother get to go out and have fun while I study?' or 'why do people have a good time for years and then decide they want to be Christians when they're too old to do it anymore?'.I see these things that as part of God's plan.The topics get bigger and bigger,'why does God allow suffering?','why me?".it goes on and on.It tires me out and most times I come away feeling upset and dissapointed.I care a lot about this person and it upsets me to the point that I cry sometimes.


I don't mind talking about these things,as a friend that's what I'm there for and as a Christian I'm a constant witness.When someone in college asks me about my faith I have no problem sharing.When a stranger asks me I have no problem.It's when it's closer to home that it's harder to explain yourself.When you're talking to someone and the friendship between you started based on your belief it can be really difficult.


At the beginning I used to thrive on it,knowing God was using me to help get them back on track.Today I feel almost like I've outlived my critical period.I don't know if I'm any good anymore.I still answer in the same way and with the same passion and conviction that I had before but I feel like I'm not getting anywhere.It's like when I used to learn french and I would learn off all the verbs with the same enthusiasm every time but I could never get a grasp on them.It's like I have all the vocabulary but not the structure to put it all together in such a way to win my friend back.I feel like maybe I need a new teaching method or a new illustration.When I'm teaching sign or religion I relate everything back to real life.This is my friends life though and it's hard to compare real with real.I know he's put her in this stage for a reason but it's hard for me to explain that.Stage and phase are very short term words and I fear that they think even if they return to God it'll be a short-lived thing.


How do you convince someone that God is for every phase of your life?He's not just there to look after you in the early days while you learn how to walk and talk and he's not just there when you and your boyfriend are getting along really well.He doesn't set upper limits and he loves you regardless of your age or what you've done.My friend is much smarter than I will ever be but they don't seem to get that.


I realize this post seems a bit down beat and I don't mean it to.I find writing things down makes it clearer in my head and even if I don't publish posts my mind is clearer afterwards.I'm honored that I'm an ambassador for God!Ambassador is a big word and one that suggests prestige but also a lot of responsibility.I guess what I need to remember is that God has made me his ambassador for life not just for a critical period and I have a duty to do that.I'm an ambassador and not God himself,I can promote him and work to please him but he has the control.He decides what happens.Ultimately he is in control.