Moving the Hug

Well, when Jesus called those first four fisherman to leave their nets and follow him I doubt that He envisioned the upset and confusion of moving nearly two hundred bears and several thousand books from one circuit to the other. Still, it wouldn't do to leave any of them behind - at least, not the bears!
So here we all are, safely ensconced in our new Manse-ion and very nice it is too. Now the work has to begin! OK Lord! Where do we start?

...and movin' on

There's a lot to be said for travelling light when it comes to moving house! A library of books, a mountain of papers - and a couple of hundred bears to get on the move, besides the necessary honey and all the household effects - well, it's just not funny! Still, only another week and we'll all be at the 'den' and I can get to work properly. When 've located the computer of course..... and put it together again - no easy task with furry paws!

bearing up

What's mowing the lawn and pulling up weeds, and packing up boxes and sorting out Kid's Club resources - and even making Christmas puddings - got to do with bearing the Gospel? I wish I knew! But whatever the answer one just has to bear up and get on with it, 'cos they all needed doing, and now their done. Still, Jesus seemed to think that feeding people is important, and He told a lot of stories about weeds and plants and harvests too, so maybe there's a good precedent! He didn't have to worry aout moving Manses though. Come to think of it he didn't have much to move, nor anywhere to move from - or to -according to Luke 9:58!

Packing up today! Such a problem with paws. How I wish our Manse had been ready for us back in August. Now we have to move the whole household in the middle of the quarter - right in the midst of Church Councils, Harvest Festivals and all the paraphanalia of the new Methodist year. My person's family were here last week - three young grandchildren - that meant a lot of extra work for me and my colleagues. Bears are usually expected to keep the little ones happy, as you might expect. But now it's back to business. There are nearly two hundred of us in the den to help our human get it organised, but there are so many books..........

Bearly an example?

Of course a ministerial bear has very little time for this sort of thing - there is always so much to be done. There were three services to prepare today, for example and three services to prepare. Leading in worship is an awesome responsiblity, especially in a culture where so many have abandoned any belief in God. My friends and I know His love and care of course. How would bears bear up without Him?
Do you know the story about the bear who showed the man how God wanted him to be - to no avail?
This human chap was walking in the forest when he saw one of my people drop off some meat for a woulded wolf. He was fascinated that god cared for his creation so much that He saw to it that His creatures cared for one another so he decided to test out the idea for himself. Neglecting his work for the day he sat himself under a tree and waited to be fed. Nothing happened? (Well, what did he expect?) On his way home that night, tired and hungry, he was accosted by a small child begging for money to but food. Ignoring the boy he complained bitterly to God, 'How is it that you feed a useless wolf but let this child and me stay hungry?
Suddenly, from heaven, God replied, 'My son, what a shame you chose to model your behaviour on the wolf and not on the bear?'
A shame about some human beings isn't it?

Getting started

Not easy for a bear of very little brain! Of course, with nothing between the ears but grey fluff it's not very easy for any bear. But the church has to crawl into the twentyfirst century some time so, bears of the Manse - here we go!