Look Around

I hope you all had a great weekend. I was able to go down to Mobile, AL for the weekend and watch the Senior Bowl. Pernell McPhee, Chris White, KJ Wright, and Derek Sherrod all did extremely well as they represented the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a great way! I was proud of all of them, and I wish them the best in their next steps toward NFL careers.  I was also able to spend time with two of my friends that mean so much to me, and that was a blessing as well!

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it.

-Ferris Bueller

We all get caught up in going through the motions sometimes in our lives. Our schedules are set up each day and most of the time they are from sun up until sun down.  I want you to think about trying to slow a few things down in your life and look around wherever you may be.  Life is such a precious gift that we often take for granted.  If you have kids, I think you understand how fast time flies. I have a little brother and sister, and I can say that I see how fast time goes as well. I feel like they should be kids still, but they are both young adults now.  Don't miss out on this life because you only get one!

Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

Family and Friend Fellowship, Friday

I hope you all have had a great week! I am looking forward to the weekend because I am going to see my boys play in the Senior bowl down in Mobile.  Please pray for the guys that will be playing! It is the end of the week and it is Family and Friend Fellowship, Friday as well.  I hope you have participated in the previous ones. If you have any stories that you would like to share, feel free to send them to the email listed below. I have had some awesome emails come in so far, and I would love to hear from you! I want you to tell each person in your family you love them today! I want you to use the words I Love You! When was the last time you told your mom, dad, husband, wife, son, daughter, or other family member how much you loved them? You may have to pick up the phone and call them or maybe you will be able to tell them in person, but I encourage you to participate and spread the love! Have a great weekend!


1 John 4:19


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Can You See Your Vision?

In FCA Tuesday night, I heard a great message on having a vision, and I wanted to share a few things I heard with you!

There are 3 enemies to having a vision:
1. Distractions
2. Discouragement
3. Doubt

Many times in life we have distractions that arise and they take our mind and our focus off of our initial vision! Those distractions come in different ways. Sometimes the distractions are caused by other people, situations, or even ourselves.  Don't allow distractions to ruin your vision. Discouragement is another enemy that can come in and make you lose your vision. There are some days when I feel like I just can't do things because discouragement comes in.  We have to be careful because discouragement can cause a loss of focus as well, and that is why we need others to encourage us and we need to encourage others! The last enemy is doubt. Does that ever come into your life? Maybe with a relationship, a career, a decision, or maybe you doubt yourself. Satan uses this tactic to distract us from our vision just like he did in the garden with Eve! Don't lose your vision because of doubt. Regain that vision today because you can if you will choose to do so.

Proverbs 29:18


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Ignite

Without inspiration, the best powers of the mind remain dormant. There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.
-Johann Gottfried Von Herder

I think this quote says so much in so little words. As I look back in my life, I have come into contact with so many people that have had so many dreams and goals, yet they never did anything other than talk about them.  I talk with guys and girls all the time, and they tell me they wish they could do this or they want to do that. I find myself in that same position a lot of times. I say things, but I don't do anything about it. The only person that stops things from happening a lot of times is you. Becoming inspired happens to different people in different ways.  For some, it comes through another person.  For others, it comes through reading something. For me, it comes through Jesus Christ! Each one of us has something within us that is more powerful than we could ever think. What would have happened if Alexander Graham Bell had let his thoughts remain dormant? What about Martin Luther King? Billy Graham? Thomas Edison? And most importantly Jesus Christ? Having a thought is one thing. Putting those thoughts into action is another!

Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

Take The Time, Tuesday

Well, it's that time again. Take The Time, Tuesday that is. I want you to take the time to pray for someone today that you may not have a good relationship with.  Maybe it is a person that has done you wrong, hurt your feelings, or you just simply don't care for them for various reasons.  Many times in life it is hard for us to reach out to people as it is, but especially people that we may have unsolved problems with.  The other day, a guy came up to me and said he needed to tell me something.  I asked him what it was that he felt he needed to share and this is what he said:

"Tyson, I wanted to let you know that I have wanted to tell you this for a little while now.  I said some things about you to people that I knew were wrong, but I chose to do it anyways.  You may not have ever heard those things, but I felt that I needed to tell  you myself to put my mind at ease.  I hope you will forgive me for saying things that were not true."

That is just paraphrased, but did I forgive him? Instantly! Take the time today to pray for someone that you are not on good terms with because you never know what could happen!

Matthew 5:44

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Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do! We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
- Marianne Williamson

2 Timothy 1:7

I challenge you to walk in confidence today! Not because of you, but because of what He has done for you!

Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

Family and Friend Fellowship, Friday

I hope you have all had a great week! I imagine you are glad it is Friday because I know I am. I want to leave you all with a few verses to read and think over for the weekend.  As you spend time with your family and friends tonight, and this weekend, read James 1 and discuss it! I am at a place in my life where I am struggling in certain areas and maybe you are too.  We need to remember that these tests will only increase our faith if we allow it to do so.  Read the chapter for yourself and allow God to speak to you however He chooses to do so. My prayer is that after you read this chapter, you will do as verse 22 says... be DOERS! I am often guilty of hearing the Word and seeing the Word, but I want to put it into action.  As we read, expect to be changed! I challenge us all to begin being DOERS!

James 1


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Tyson's 10

When I played football, I relied on the guys on my team every play of every game! There are 11 people on the football field at one time, and without the other 10 guys, I would not be able to do a thing.  The offensive line is the most important thing about an offense, and I know that more than most! Fans see the quarterback, running back, and wide receivers because they are the ones that are making the plays, but the offensive line is the glue that holds things together! In saying that, I want to thank all of my big boys that have ever blocked for me and let you know I couldn't do it without you.  As a result of understanding that it took 10 other guys to help me achieve my goals and pursue my dreams, I thought "Tyson's 10" would be something I started that let you know a little about me. The first one will be a list of the 10 people that have been most influential in my life thus far, outside of my family, because all of you know my mom is supreme to anyone! 


Tyson's 10 Most Influential People: 
1. Mr. Mike Bogue
2. Mr. Kent Walker
3. Dr. Chad Altmyer
4. Madison Walker
5. Brother Slater Murphy
6. Brother Sammy Crawford
7. Brother Mickey Dalrymple
8. Coach Woody McCorvey
9. Coach Matt Balis
10. Coach Sylvester Croom



Who has influenced you?


1 Peter 2:12


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Righteous When Removed

I hope you were able to participate in yesterday's blog, and I hope it was a great day for you! I was able to call a friend of mine from Junior College and we were able to catch up with one another since it had been a while since we last talked.  Have you ever wondered why people go down certain paths? Why people make certain decisions? Why people do some of the things they do? I know there are times in my life when I think those things in my mind.  So, if we both think those things, what can we do to change that? Thinking about those things is not necessarily a bad thing, it is what we do after we have thought about it that means something.  Many times, it is easy to be righteous or perfect when we are not in a situation.  For example, if a person makes a bad decision or does something wrong in our eyes, we immediately think to ourselves "what is wrong with that person" or "have they lost their mind" and many other thoughts have come to my mind as well.  But, one thing I have found is if we will all take the time to put ourselves in the shoes or lives of another person, we are able to identify with them and understand them on a deeper level.  We may not completely understand the situation, the decision, or what happened, but at least by putting ourselves in their shoes, we allow ourselves the opportunity to be more sympathetic and understanding.  It is easy for us to say what we would do or what someone else should do, but what if it were really you at that moment? Would you still feel the same? I challenge you to put yourself in the shoes of others and see how it helps you view life.  Being righteous is easy when we are removed from a situation, but what if we are in it?

Romans 3:21-23

Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

Take The Time, Tuesday

I hope everyone enjoyed Martin Luther King Holiday and reflected on the person he was and the impact he had and still has in the world today.  It is yet again, Take The Time Tuesday.  I want you to Take The Time to call a friend that you have not talked to in a long time.  Many of us get so caught up in our busy lives, we just don't have time to catch up with some of the people that have been important in our lives.  Maybe it is a friend from  high school, a buddy from camp, a neighbor that moved off, or a relative that you haven't talked to in a while.  Take the time today and give them a call, write them a letter, or send them an email and let them know you were thinking about them! It would not only make their day better, but it would make yours as well!


Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

I Have A Dream

Since today is such a great holiday, I wanted to post the words of the famous Martin Luther King Jr.  A man that had a dream and a vision for all people and impacted the lives of so many.  May we all challenge ourselves to make an impact and stand for what we believe in!


I have a dream today.


I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.


I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."


I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.


This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.


When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"


-Martin Luther King Jr.

Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

Family and Friend Fellowship, Friday

I hope all of you have had a great week and are ready for a wonderful 3 day weekend.  Last week was the first "Family and Friend Fellowship, Friday." I received some neat stories about people hanging out with their family and friends for the evening.  I was able to spend time with a friend and we had dinner together.   I want you to invite a friend, family, or group of people over tonight and cook dinner for them.  After dinner, play some games and relax with one another.  Card games, board games, or any other games should make the night a lot of fun! I hope you enjoy the fellowship time, and I look forward to hearing about them from you. Have a great weekend and God bless!

Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

Unity

The forces that divide us are not as strong as the forces that unite us. - President Obama

Last night, I listened to President Obama speak at the memorial service in Tucson, Arizona.  His statement stirred something in me that I had to share with all who would listen.  What else is it going to take for the world to begin to unite together and begin to work together as one? Shootings, killings, theft, burglary, neglect, abuse, and many other negative acts seem to be entirely too prevalent in the world today.  When are we going to unite together and make a difference in our world?  We as Christians often talk about "how things need to change and how things should change", but we are never willing to be the ones that begin to make that change.  I want more people to step up and step out and begin making a difference in our world! If we continue to talk about things, rather than doing them, nothing will change and evil and violence will remain!  Unity can exist if we will allow it to.  Unity can exist if we will change our way of thinking. The forces that seem to be dividing the world today are minuscule in comparison to the forces that could bring the world together if we would all give it a try! Imagine a school, a city, a state, a country,  or a world that would unite together as one and begin to live life in unity! Would things be different? Would you be different? If so, begin taking steps toward unity today!


Psalm 133:1


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Reflect

A year ago from today, Haiti endured a disaster that would forever change their lives.   The devastating earthquake took the lives of thousands and thousands of people.  Many times, it is easy to forget the past and let things just move along, but I ask that you would pray for the people of Haiti today, as well as their families.  Imagine waking up one day and at the end of the day, you have lost everything you owned.  I commit myself to pray for the people of Haiti today, and I ask that you would do the same.  Reflect on your life, and thank God for the things that you have that we all take for granted!

If you were able to go to Haiti in the past year, please post your experience below or send me an email. I want to share your experience with others.  How did it change your life?

Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

Take The Time, Tuesday

Well it is Take The Time, Tuesday again, and I want you to Take The Time to lift someone up today.  I received a few stories from people that completed this last week, and it seemed to go well for them.  If you did this last week, email me and let me know how it went for you.  It is really encouraging to see how people respond to the blogs and the impact it has on others.  I challenge you to Take The Time today to let at least one person know how much they mean to you or have meant to you in your life.  Tell them how much you appreciate them because it could make someone's day and you wouldn't know it!


Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

Snow Day

Today is the first day I have seen this much  snow outside in my entire life! I must say, it has been a lot of fun being able to enjoy all of it! As I have sat and watched the snow fall and accumulate on the ground, Isaiah 1:18 comes to my mind.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” 
   says the LORD. 
“Though your sins are like scarlet, 
   they shall be as white as snow; 
though they are red as crimson, 
   they shall be like wool. 


The snow that falls is so pure and white.  I can look out my window and see white on the ground, on the tops of houses, and on top of every car.  I thank God for sending his son to die on the cross for our sins so that we can be forgiven and be white as snow.  Thank the Lord today for His unfailing love, mercy, and grace!


Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

Family and Friend Fellowship, Friday

I hope all of you have had a great week and have enjoyed the blogs! Today's blog is exciting and challenging at the same time for me, as well as you.  I want Fridays to be a time where you spend the evening with your family or friends and enjoy each other's company! For some of you, it will be a dinner at home  or at a restaurant with your family.  For others, it may be dinner and a movie at home where you just spend time together and relax from a long week.  I want more families to appreciate one another and grow in their love and fellowship! If more families were strong, I believe things would be different in our world.  For others, today may be a day where you and your friends cook dinner or go somewhere and get something to eat.  Maybe, you get a group together and watch a movie and have snacks! The point of the day is to spend time with family and friends and make it a meaningful day! It can serve as a time to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and fellowship with one another!  Have a great weekend!


 1 John 1:7


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My Grandmother

Thank you so much for all you have done for our family over the years.  I don’t think there is a closer family in the world than ours, and I wouldn’t change one thing about it.  You have always been there for all of us, and I am so thankful for that.  You definitely win the best grandmother award, and I love you!

Love,

Your Grandson

I wanted to take the time the last two days to let you know how much my mother and grandmother mean to me.  I felt they deserved their own blog.   In life, we have certain people that help us become who we are, and they have been vital in that role! I hope you recognize the people that have molded you into who you are today. If you have any encouraging quotes, ideas, or verses, email me at asktyson@tysonplee.com. Tomorrow's blog is an exciting and challenging one, so check it out and spread the word!


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Dear Mom,

You are my best friend, and I love you more than you will ever know.  Over the last few years, I have really started to appreciate all the things you have done for me in my life.  I know you have gone through so much and because you are so strong you made it through all of it.  I want to be like you when I grow up, because if I do, I will be awesome!  You have inspired me to be the person that I am today, and I thank you for always being there for me.  I have faced many challenges, and you have always been there to help me through it.  I value our family more than anything, and we have been able to touch so many people’s lives simply because we know what it means to love.  We will continue to do that, and I will do that when I have a family of my own.  I look forward to the day that I can be the best father and husband I can be because of the things I have seen you endure and overcome, alone!  You win the best mom award now and forever!

Love,

Your Best Friend and Son

Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

Take The Time, Tuesday

I want to start something called "Take The Time, Tuesday" and I hope you will join in with me and do it as well! Each Tuesday,  I want everyone to take the time to let people know how much you appreciate them, love them, or admire them.  Maybe it is a close friend, a neighbor, family member, a complete stranger, a co-worker, a boss, or someone else! I want you to take the time and let them know how much they mean to you, how much you appreciate them, or anything else you would like to take the time to say.  So many times, we get caught up in our busy lives and forget to let others know how we feel about them.  Maybe it is the garbage men that pick up your trash each week, or the custodial staff who cleans up after you, or somebody you work with that always has a smile on their face and it keeps you going! I don't know who the person is or what they have done for you, but "Take The Time" to tell them how you feel today! You never know the impact you will have!


Want to share YOUR story with Tyson or ask him a question? Email your story or question to asktyson@tysonplee.com.

New Year's Commitments

I hope everyone had a great weekend and a wonderful New Years! It is hard to believe another year has passed by and a new one is here.  I was able to spend the last few days in Jacksonville, Florida with my family and watch the Mississippi State Bulldogs win the Gator Bowl!  As I begin to think about the new year and everything that will be going on, the first thing that comes to mind are "new year's resolutions." Every year, people use January 1st as an opportunity to start over or begin something new in their life.  I want you to think of new year's "commitments" this year, rather than new year's "resolutions." Most of the time, a new year's resolution lasts about 3 weeks before things are back to the old way. But, by making new year's commitment this year, maybe you can stick to your goals and complete them!  Some of you want to stop smoking, drinking, or using bad language. Others want to lose weight, get in shape, or eat healthier.  These are things I have heard the past few days, but the list goes on forever.  All of these have something in common... Achievability! Whatever your new year's commitment is this year, make it something that is attainable for you! A lot of times, we set themselves up for failure before even starting because our goals are not realistic.  So, whatever you want to do this year.. be committed to it! It is a lot easier to achieve a goal if you write it down, so give that a try! You can do it if you really want to.. I know you can! 

Proverbs 16:3 

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