(by Kim Thoday) Once upon a time there lived a family of bears. There was Mother Bear and Father Bear and their three Bear Cubs - Bluey, Bobby and Beattie. They lived in a lovely little cottage just out of Bear Town. There was excitement amongst all the Bears in the neighbourhood for a Fair was coming to town. None were so excited as the three young cubs - Bluey, Bobby and Beattie. They had been waiting all year for the Fair. It would be the first time they had ever been to the Fair. Oh how they listened eagerly to the wonderful stories Father Bear would tell about what a Fair was like. They could barely wait. It was finally the night before the Fair and the three cubs went to bed early because they would need all their energy for the big day ahead. During the night a violent storm came and by morning the strong winds had damaged the roof of their house. Mother and Father Bear realised they would have to spend the day fixing the damage. All the family was so upset because today was the day of the Fair. After talking it over, Mother and Father Bear decided that it would be okay for their cubs to go to the Fair on their own. Bluey was old enough now to look after the other two. So Father Bear told them what to do, to stay together all the time, to look out for each other and to come straight home once the Fair started to close. Mother Bear packed them a picnic lunch and then Father Bear had a bright idea. He said: "Now, Bluey, Bobby and Beattie ... being allowed to go to the Fair like this on your own is a very special privilege. We want you to have lots of fun but we want you to be good cubs please. Now I'm going to give you a penny each to spend at the fair." Well the cubs eyes really lit up! They couldn't believe it because a penny in Bear Town was a lot of money. It would mean they could go on a lot of rides and buy lots of sweets and drinks. Father Bear said: "You can spend your pennies how ever you like as long as you do one thing. I want you to buy one thing each that you can bring home and share with all the family. Because the greatest happiness comes from sharing and making others happy. And the one who brings back the most thoughtful thing will get to sit at the head of the table at dinner time." Well the three cubs were just so pleased. This was the greatest day of their lives. So with the sun shining, they kissed their parents goodbye and set off for the Fair. The Fair was more than they could have imagined. There was so much to see and do. There were clowns and musicians and games and side shows and fairy floss. Toward the end of the day Bluey reminded his brother and sister that they needed to get something to take home to share. They had had the perfect day and now they looked forward to getting back home to tell their parents all about it. So with their things to share they finally began the walk back to their little cottage. They arrived home to find Father Bear and Mother Bear waiting for them expectantly in the kitchen. The cubs were so happy to be home and there was much excited conversation. "Well," said Mother Bear, "what did you each bring home to share?" Bluey went first and brought out of their picnic basket a big jar of delicious honey. "Yummy!" they all shouted together. Then Bobby proudly brought out his present. With some glee he held out a packet of oats to make loads of porridge. "Yummy!" they all exclaimed again. "Now," said Mother again, "Beattie, what did you bring back for us." "Mummy," Beattie answered with a sparkle in her eye, "I have to go outside to get it." Mother Bear and Father Bear stood in astonishment when Beattie came back into the kitchen holding the hand of a smaller bear cub. "I found this little friend outside the fairy floss tent, and he wouldn't stop crying. He doesn't have a penny and he hasn't got a Mummy or a Daddy and he hasn't got anywhere to live. So I remembered what you said Daddy, that the greatest happiness comes if we share and make others happy. So we can share our food and our house with him." There was a stunned pause. Then Beattie said: "Daddy, what is a refugee? He says he is a refugee." The new little cub bear turned out to indeed be a refugee from another country of bears. The Bear family welcomed him as one of their own cubs. That Fair was one that the cubs never forgot, but the greatest thing of all was that they had found this little orphaned bear and given him a home and a family. It was a lesson about life that they would always remember. That night after the Fair they had a lovely dinner of honey and porridge. And you know something else: the little orphaned bear sat at the head of the table. Blessings in Jesus' name KIM THODAY, Hewett Community Church of Christ
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