A New Home

  A NEW HOME

A New Home, how lovely,

Just what you need,

The Lord has provided,

True blessing indeed!

Moving never is easy,

Of that there’s no doubt.

Such a lot to pack up,

And then to sort out!

“Now where did I put that,

Which box is it in?”

It can be hard knowing

Just where to begin!

But you’ll soon organize,

 Moving trials will be passed,

And your new place will feel

  Like a REAL HOME at last!

Shirley Hirst

Small Things

"And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; 

to every man according to his several ability"

Matthew 25:14-30

                                                        SMALL THINGS 

"We seek our dear Lord to live.

Oft' feeling that we have to give

But little, and have talents few,

Yet strive we must in all we do

The very most by grace to make

Of what we have, and not forsake

Our service, be it great or small,

For Jesus' sake we do it all"

Results we may not often see,

But labout at our Lord's decree.

He is faithful, this we know,

Who makes a tiny seed to grow

Into a strong and mighty tree,

With confidence, we trust that He

Will likewise our poor labours bless,

Increase the fruits of righteousness.

"Take dear Lord the crumbs we cast

To help meet needs so truly vast

Of multitudes, both far and near,

Who of the Saviour need to hear.

To cheer thy saints upon their way

Through many a trying and weary day.

From loving service done for Thee,

Lasting fruit cause there to be"

Shirley Hirst

“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed,

do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 

giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

Colossians 3:17 

A Believer's Request

 

   "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.

   In the world ye shall have tribulation:

    but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world"

 

   John 6:33

      A BELIEVER’S REQUEST

“Thou Lord art my peace, on days good & bad,

In Thee I rejoice, even when my heart’s sad.

May I be constant in sunshine or rain,

Contented in health, but also in pain.

Grant grace for service, and also for rest;

Faith that won’t waver when under test.

 Perseverance in service, or when laid aside,

 I rest in Thee, my dear Saviour and Guide.

    Whatever Thy will, I declare it is right,

     Gladly embrace what is good in Thy sight.

    Grant patience always, I naturally fret,

    How easy it is to Thy mercies forget!

    Surrounded by evil without and within,

     I earnestly ask constant cleansing from sin.

     Grant my desire for a true and pure heart,

      From all that is wrong, Lord keep me apart.

    Be Thy Holy Word my constant delight,

    Comfort in sorrow, hope shining bright;

     Until trials and sorrow at last are no more,

       And I finally rest, on Heaven’s bright shore.”

Shirley Hirst

     "Thou shalt guide me with thy council, 

     and afterward receive me to glory"

   Psalm 73:24

LIfe's Restless Sea

                

LIFE’S RESTLESS SEA

Though tossed upon Life’s restless sea,

The dark waves rising high,

Still, I know my Anchor holds,

Safe midst the storm am I.

My vessel is so weak and frail,

How can it such withstand?

It cannot fail, I have God’s Word,

My life’s voyage He has planned.

Once anchored to the Rock secure,

The cruel sea can’t prevail.

Waves may rage, and gales may blow,

But all to no avail.

God calms the storms within my heart,

Though they may rage without:

Safe shall I soon reach heaven’s shore,

Of that there is no doubt.

Shirley Hirst

   “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure 

     and which entereth into that within the veil “ 

 Hebrews 6:19

Sunbeams

KEEP SHINING!

Spread shining beams of sunshine around you day by day;

Cheer and comfort others as you go on your way.

But where shall I find sunshine, my path’s oft’ drenched with rain?

Keep your eyes upon the Lord, and He shall thee sustain.

Christ is this world’s bright shining light, the soul’s eternal Sun,

Whose warm life-giving beams shine out blessing everyone.

Shine on me, in me, through me Lord, by Thy Spirit’s power;

By grace may I shine on for Thee until the final hour,

When work at last is finished, and I shall gathered be,

My life, my joy, my shining Son, safe home to dwell with Thee.

Shirley Hirst

“... we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord;

and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

For God who commanded the fight to shine

out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to

the light of the knowledge of the glory of God

in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,

that the excellency of the power may be

of God, and not of us. " 2 Corint 4:5-7

“let your light so shine before men. that they may see good

works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Matthew 5: 16

MAKE ME LIKE A SUNBEAM!

"I would be as a bright shining sunbeam always

A channel of blessing throughout my days.

To bear other's burdens, help lighten their load

As we travel together on life's weary road.

Reflecting Thy kindness, Thy love and care,

A glimpse of Thy beauty, so lovely and fair.

Patient in trial, giving thanks Lord to The

Even when people deal harshly with me.

Gentle and thoughtful, helpful and sweet

Making a difference to those whom I meet

On earth, there is endless distress and decay,

With sin and rebellion, men seek their own way.

Such sadness and sorrow, dark is the night,

Make thine own children a true burning light.

May I play my part Lord, to bring hope and cheer

Tell of Thy salvation to all far and near.

Work in me I pray Thee, to will and to do

More like unto Jesus, pure, holy and true.

Only through Thy blessed grace from on high

Shall I show Thy likeness, Thy Name glorify

Thou art my true joy, my Star and my Sun

Shine through me dear Saviour until life is done.

Then with Thy ransomed ones happy I'll be

Shining forth in Thy kingdom eternally"

Shirley Hirst

"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun

to the kingdom of their father"  Matthew 13:43 

Stars

“He made the stars also, and God set them in the firmament 

of the heaven to give light upon the earth”

Genesis 1:17

“upholding all things by the word of His power”

Hebrews 1:15

STARS

A man and his son one starry night

together beheld the heavens bright.

“How do the stars stay in the sky,

Shining way up there on high?”

The father asked his little lad and

Thoughtfully the boy said “Dad,

God it is who holds them all,

So to the earth they cannot fall”

We may observe a lesson here,

For do we not so often fear

When trials and testing sore we face

That we may not stay in out place,

But may worry, fret and moan,

Perhaps in pain and all alone

Thus in our weakness fail and fall,

We are so helpless after all!

Shall God who holds the stars in place,

Not hold us also by His grace?

He’ll never cease for us to care,

Not send us what we cannot bear.

Trusting Him we shall not fall,

But shine in triumph through it all.

As those bright stars, upheld secure,

Safe in His care for evermore!

Shirley Hirst

“I will strengthen thee: yea I will help thee;

yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”

Isaiah 41:10

“...kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation”

1 Peter 1:5

The Craftsman's Skill

"Now no chastisement for the present seemeth to be

joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth

the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them which

are exercised thereby."   Hebrews 12:11

THE CRAFTSMAN

One fine summer morning I happened to stop,

And gaze at the goods in a glass worker's shop,

The place was so small, but what an array

Of beautiful objects were there on display!

Pretty glass flowers, red, yellow and blue

In delicate vauses, and sailing ships too.

Many glass animals, both large and small,

It took me a long time to look at them all.

Here were such treasures not only displayed,

But I could watch them being skillfully made!

By a bright open window a table was set

A craftsman there seated near to a gas jet.

The glass rod he close out was held in its flame

Where glowing and molten it quickly became;

Then swiftly he shaped it, and twisted it till

It took on a form in accord with his will.

Back then in the fire, and there to remain

Until pliable, so he could shape it again.

Thus I watched with wonder, what could it be?

The object's design was unknown to me!

All was revealed as the work did progress,

Much patience and labour led to success,

A beautiful harp, complete to the last string,

       On the top perched a tiny bird, ready to sing!

    Practice and effort such work doth require,

    No wonder the glass must be oft in the fire!

    Much later I thought, "Here a lesson is shown

     For thus God in mercy deals with His own.

    In the heat of affliction He's working you see

     To produce His own image in you and in me

    So when our way seems to twist and to turn,

  In very sore trials, we seem often to 'burn'

Never longer than needed will He leave us there,

We can be sure we are safe in His care!

    Let's think of this picture, praise God and say

  "By grace, I'll be perfect like Him one day."

Shirley Hirst

“I will cry unto God most high unto God that performeth

I things for me."  Psalm 57:2

"The Lord will affect that which concerneth me"  Psalm 138.8

"for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus

unto good works"   Ephesians 2:10

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, 

and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, 

when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" 

1 John 3:2-3 

It has been very difficult to find a suitable illustration for this poem written 

after a visit to the Cheddar Gorge glass worker's shop the delicate

 glass items were amazing, and the glass worker's hands were so large,

 his skill was breathtaking!