The Clayworks Evolution

Many families & friends gathered in celebration of Shawn & Tracy’s wedding this afternoon at Paya Lebar Methodist Church. After 9 years of courtship, their grand & long-awaited day as finally arrived!

I remember that one Sunday morning in early months of the year 2000, when I first set foot back at Christ Methodist Church, returning after having back-slide for almost 2 years during my Army days. During those years, I had been in quite a bit of mess in the Army & I had just come out from a terribly ending 14-month failed relationship with my first girlfriend Diana. It was really a bad time for me… & there weren’t any friends whom I could turn to. After hanging around at home for about 3 Sundays, I finally decided to come back to my childhood church.

Surprisingly, even after having disappeared for almost 2 years, I was welcomed with open arms by Elgin, my childhood church friend since my early young years in Sunday School. I mean it when I said that I was welcomed warmly… & I was almost as immediately invited to join their CG. This CG was named ‘Clayworks’ because we are the clay & God is the potter that works within us. Original, cool & meaningful - was their CG name… & definitely a distinct CG name which I have found no other equal, even after all these years.

Clayworks CG consisted of a pretty distinct group of teenagers, different in our own quirky ways & personalities, yet eventually growing up to become promising Christian young adults of today… & it being the first young adult CG at Christ Methodist Church, I was proud to be a part of this CG.

I had spent 3 wonderful & memorable years with this CG, before finally deciding after much counsel & prayer, to move on to join my girlfriend Rebecca at her family church – Covenant Presbyterian Church.

Although it wasn’t a regret to move over, I still held my fond memories about the times with Clayworks CG. There were nice times & not so nice times, but I never looked back & regret ever being a part of this distinguished group of believers.

Looking back across memories over time, it never fails to once again reaffirm my undying conviction that life isn’t about what one has gained for himself at the end of his life… but how he has lived & experienced all the years of his life on Earth.

Recently, I had spoken with Stacy at my brother’s 21st birthday dinner & my words got her staring into blank space for several moments, before unswervingly agreeing to what I had shared with her.

I said, “Wouldn’t you agree that after going through all these years in school, that what really influences, molds & changes your life, isn’t your grades, but how you have lived through those years?”

Believe me, she was stunned right there… her mind just pondering over those words that have just been uttered. And yet, every bit of my statement holds true, if you really think about it in the broader picture.

I also learnt that there is no such thing as a poorly made decision, coz as long as it is allowed to happen by God, there will be reason behind it, when we realized & look back in future. Nothing happens for no good reason. And you can bet on it.

At today’s wedding, I witnessed the transition of Clayworks CG, where one by one, all of us have begun our new phase of lives in different churches, different cell groups, different careers, different marital status & different paths in life.

The old Clayworks is gone… moved on… totally evolving… yet definitely having lots of memories to be missed, but truly to be remembered. How I wished that I was back in those days… & I believe June would totally share my sentiments.

What was most sincere & touching was the closing song (a special item), sung by Shawn to his new bride Tracy. He sang emotionally & from his heart the song “I will be here” by Steven Curtis Chapman.

Although there were a few hic-cups, but it was nonetheless heart-warming & possibly even a bit emotional for some of us. For me, it was both heart-warming & emotional. As usual, I didn’t cry… but my heart just melted & softened as I watched & listened to the lyrics… & it wasn’t merely how well Shawn sang it (though he sang it very well)… but it’s how much & so much of heart that he put into singing to his beloved bride. Shawn, I’m very encouraged & truly salute you for it.