It was a pleasant day and perfect for what the Paws pact had planned. That being a picnic. The cool box was already filled and packed as well as a flask, a red tartan rug, a raffia mat and a windbreak complete with posts and hammer. Although it happened to be quite a drive to their destination, the bears hadn't noticed the time elapsing because of their excitement and anticipation. The spot they had chosen was idyllic with a lush grassy area surrounded by wild flowers, a scattering of trees and from their vantage point, a view over the crystal sea. In fact they could smell the tang of sea salt in the air. While the cubs skipped around merrily in the grass like frolicking lambs, Papa hammered in the posts of the windbreak and spread out the soft textured tartan rug, while Mama was busy organising the food.

When all was ready, she opened one eye to squint up at the sky above her. Clear, blue and translucent, there was not a single cloud to obscure the sparkling sun for even a moment and only a gentle breeze prevented the heat from becoming quite unbearable. Papa had heard a humming noise in the distance and had turned his head to locate the source of the sound. It was coming from one of the pleasure boats cruising the coastal waters.

'Who is hungry? Mama asked, a sure way to gather everyone around her in a hurry. Well, there was quite an assortment of delicious sandwiches: peanut butter, which was Puff's favourite; pickles, brown sauce and cheddar cheese, which was Papa's favourite; Mars bar and apple, that was Padder's favourite and tuna chunks with mayonnaise for Mama. There was even more of an array of assorted biscuits. In fact, Mama had packed a box of the tinned variety with tempting wafers; chocolate digestives; cookies, enough to make them drool.

There was plenty of fruit as well. Mama was health conscious - even on picnics. Puff's eyes zoomed in on the strawberries while Padders eyed up the bunch of grapes. Papa's focus, however, was on a great big family-sized bag of crisps! Well they were going to have a picnic indeed!

In fact Papa turned to Mama and said, 'Honey,' his affectionate name for her. He liked to call her his honey bear! 'Honey, are we feeding the five thousand?'

Padders, astute as ever, heard this question and remarked, 'Why did you say five thousand? Who were they?

Papa reclined back on one pillow and explained about the biggest picnic ever.

'Bigger than ours, Papa?'

He laughed. 'Yes, bigger than ours. In the Bible it tells us that Jesus had been out at sea and just returned and climbed a mountain. Within a short space of time a crowd had gathered around him and there were about five thousand of them. He asked his disciples if they had any food, but they didn't have any. However, a young lad had his lunch with him and in his box were five little loaves and two small fish. He gave them to Jesus and Jesus blessed them and performed a great miracle by multiplying those loaves and fish to feed all of the people. In fact there was food left over.'

'Wow,' said Padders, in astonishment.

'What happened to the rest of the food?' asked Puff!

Oh, I don't know, said Papa, ' but the important part to remember is what I have told you. Think of the size of the crowd. How many were there again?'

'Five thousand,' shouted Puff and Padders in unison.

'Think too of the smallness of the contribution. Who gave what?

'The boy gave his lunch,' said Padders.

'Yeah, fish and bread,' added Puff.

'Then what happened?'

Padders got in first. 'Jesus multiplied them to feed everyone.'

'That's what we call a miracle,' commented Puff, eager to get a word in.

'Good, so we have seen the size of the crowd and the smallness of the contribution. Then finally think of the secret of the child.'

'What secret?' asked Puff, thinking he was about to reveal some juicy detail.

'Well, the part the boy played was very important because he gave everything he had to Jesus. He held nothing back. He could have kept the fish for himself but he gave Jesus his all and that's what Jesus wants from us.'

'What, fish and bread? questioned Puff, missing the point.

'No, He wants us to give ourselves to Him so that He can make us right with God and bring good to others.'

Papa rambled on a bit and while Padders was alert to every word that tripped from Papa's tongue, Puff's attention lapsed somewhat and was now focussed on her surroundings. She noticed the number of daisies in the field and knew how she could use them to her advantage. She started making a daisy chain for round her neck, and her neck was somewhat thick, so plenty of daisies were needed. As she threaded one daisy into another she started daydreaming about this rather good-looking lad at school. She really liked him and had tried her best to attract his attention and appear desirable when in his company, but she hadn't had much response and doubted if he liked her at all. Then she remembered a game her classmates played at break time. It was a game which tested someone's affections and was a sure way to find out if that person really loved them, or so they said. The idea was to find a daisy and pluck off the petals. You pluck out a petal and say,'He loves me.' Then another and say, 'He loves me not,' until you finish with the last petal, and whatever you say with it - either he loves me or he loves me not, is what that person's affections supposedly are for you. Puff started with her daisy and eagerly extracted each petal. But as she got to the last one it ended on, 'He loves me not.'

'Arghh,' murmured Puff. 'Um, I've probably accidently picked off two petals at once somewhere. 'The best out of three then,' she said to herself and again she began her little game. But with the same result and the tears began to flow.

Mama noticed and hugged her tightly and explained that it was only a game. The important thing to remember was that God loved her all of the time. He doesn't switch His love on and off, but instead it is everlasting. She quoted to Puff a Bible verse, 'God loves us with an everlasting love'

'A love that goes on and on?' said Puff brightening up again.

'Yes, you can never say of God, ' He loves me not. It is always, He loves me. There will be people in this world who don't like you and me, but that doesn't matter. The important thing is that God loves us.'

'Look Mama! Papa and Padders have nearly eaten everything up. Quick let's delve in!'