Russell Yee

A Gift That Is My Own
1.
O Lord, I want to praise you with my voice.
But which is mine?  Or do I have a choice?
I borrow others’ cultures, ways, and song;
But never know to which one I belong.

            O Lord, I long
            To come before your throne
            And give to you a gift that is my own.
2.
Black hair, brown eyes surround me as I pray.
I know that this is not the only way.
For now I need to be where I can seek
To reach my kin, to find how I’m unique.
3.
You promise that if I learn how to die
To all that I call me, myself, and I
You’ll take my life and give me in return
The re-al me, in Christ–for that I yearn.
4.
From East to West, the journey is not through
Until, at last, I find my rest in you.
In heav’n I’ll know as I am fully known.
I’ll find myself in you and you alone.

Tune : Veni Emmanuel (“O Come O Come Emmanuel”)
© Russell Yee, 1995

Pursuing the Pearl
1.
From distant lands our peoples came
            Their longings to fulfill
But now you call to give it all
            For something better still
Chorus
            This, this is worth the price
                        Of all our time and treasure
            Haste, haste, it’s worth it all
                        This pearl of your pleasure
2.
Our generations flow and change
From countless acts and choices.
Lord, teach us how to give to you
Our changing hearts and voices.
3.
“To find your life first lose your life”
Lord, nothing hurts like losses.
Lord, is it true? Will we find life
By taking up our crosses?

Tune: Greensleeves (“What Child is This?”)
© Russell Yee, 1999

East and West
1.
Both east and west together come
            inside our churches, inside our hearts
But when they mix, what is the sum?
            Is there a whole that’s more than the parts?
2.
Of east and west our hearts are formed
            of hopes and hurts, of gifts and wounds
The food with which our hearts are warmed
            the words unsaid, the monuments, the ruins
3.
To east and west you bid us go
            and speak your words of love and grace
To reach our kin, to reach our foe
            in every tongue, in eve-ry place.
4.
Both east and west are offerings
            We bring before you, Christ our Lord,
You know our names, you hear us sing,
            To know you is our great reward.

Tune: Rockingham (“When I Survey,” alt.)
© Russell Yee, 1999

Blessed Be Your Name
adapted for the South East Asian Leadership Conference, San Jose, California, March , 2010

Blessed be your name
In the camps where my fam’ly stayed
Where our hopes for life began to fade
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
On the streets where I walk and pray
When I see sorrows everyday
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
When my church is all good and strong
Or when something hurts and has gone wrong
Blessed be your name

And blessed be your name
In the lands my people left behind
They’re forever on my heart and mind
Blessed be your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be your name.

by Beth & Matt Redman
 ©  2002 Thankyou Music
additional stanza by Russell Yee, 2010