The More We Get Together
Celebrating a 47th anniversary seems a bit odd. We can understand 45 years or wait until 50 years in 2012, but 47th in 2009 seems uneventful. But then I remembered your theme song, “The More We Get Together, the happier we’ll be.” It seems like the more you do get together, the happier your lives truly are. 47 years ago in 1962, the life expectancy was 70.1 years, now it’s 77.8 years because you have been getting together for 47 years. But unfortunately, the cost of a first class stamp in 1962 was 4 cents and now it’s 44 cents!
I did a little research as you can see and discovered that the Yankees defeated the SF Giants in the 1962 World Series by 4 games to 3. This year the Yankees most likely will win the American League pennant and the Giants are now 5 games behind in the National League wild card race. I doubt if the Giants will play in the World Series this year. In 1962, Marilyn Monroe died from a drug overdose at the of age 36; Telstar first produced a worldwide TV and cable network; John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth three times; and the song of the year was Moon River by Henry Mancini.
Since 1962, there’s been many more World Series, countless space shuttle launches, hundreds of songs that made the hit list, and almost all of us are on the internet, thanks to Telstar. But the Emmanuel Family Group has been getting together for 47 years. You believe that the more you get together, the happier you’ll be. Your happy lives have led you to share that joy with others—your friends are my friends, and my friends are your friends.
After Jesus’ resurrection, his disciples gathered together at the Sea of Tiberias to fish. They all went into their boat but caught nothing that night. But in the morning, Jesus stood on the beach and told them to cast the net to the right side of the boat and to their great surprise; there were so much fish that they found it hard to haul the fish into their boat. When they got back on shore, Jesus and the disciples had a barbecue fish breakfast and knew that Jesus has risen. (John 21) The disciples got together and their lives became happy because they knew that Jesus has risen.
For these 47 years, you may have sung this little ditty whose author is unknown under James Wong’s able direction. But in truth, you are like the disciples in John 21 who got together and discovered that Jesus is among them. The more you get together, the happier you are because Jesus is among you. In Christ, all of you have become lifelong friends who would do anything for each other. In Christ, together you will continue to catch more fish and invite new friends to join you for breakfast or at the 48th anniversary luncheon. I think there’s fish coming for our lunch today!
You don’t need to wait until a more eventful year to come around before celebrating another anniversary. Every year and every month is a time to sing and to live out, The more we get together, together, together. The more we get together, the happier we’ll be. For your friends are my friends. And my friends are your friends. The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
Happy 47th Anniversary Emmanuel Family Group!