PASTOR'S PEN
We can learn from seaweed

Seaweed. Seaweed on the beach. Seaweed in the dunes. Seaweed on the beach roadway. Seaweed in the ocean. Seaweed in the bay.

Yes, it is natural. Yes, it helps build our beaches. Yes, it helps provide a natural barrier for storms. Yes, it even helps my organic garden. But, enough already!

All that seaweed piled up creates an odor, and there is so much trash trapped in it. I have also noticed something. Everyone has an opinion about it, especially those who don't live here. I find that quite humorous.

Before you go to the next article… hang on. My point is not to submerge myself into the hottest local debate at this point in time every year. I believe I can use this "seaweed" as an analogy to everyone's life.

We can compare seaweed to the hurts, habits and hang-ups that are a part of everyone's life. Just like the ocean bringing more seaweed, life seems to roll more and more of life's issues into our lives. Before you know it, we have a huge pile of it stacked up inside us. And just like the seaweed, it is natural for humans to have to deal with issues in life, but all kinds of trash come along with it. Some of that trash ends up being addictions.

So what do we do about it?

James 1:21 So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

Just like our city government is looking for answers, we too need to look for answers. You don't have to have a special committee for life's answers, though. You can go straight to the source for answers to life's biggest problems…God. God will help you clean up the trash that has accumulated in your life. He is not looking to condemn you, but to communicate with you! That is the reason that He sent Jesus. Jesus is the bridge (or in our case, the ferry) that takes us to God.

One way you do this is to join a recovery group. There are many resources in most communities. In Port Aransas, Trinity-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church has Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings. They do a wonderful job. If you have "trash" accumulated that is more than alcohol usage, First Baptist Church in Port Aransas has Celebrate Recovery. It is a recovery ministry that encompasses issues from anger, to overeating, to substances and everything in between. We have a free meal on Tuesdays at 6 p.m., our Celebration service at 7 p.m., and group meetings at 8 p.m.

We do not have to put up with the garbage that accumulates in our life, unlike our area every spring and summer. So, what are you going to do about it?

William Campbell is pastor at First Baptist Church of Port Aransas.