So what does Body for Life have to do with an art blog?  Plenty!
The Tennessee Body for Life group hosted a Champions' Weekend this past and what a fabulous time it was.  Over a hundred  people came from as far away as Australia, South Africa, England, Canada and all over the US to share motivation & inspiration and enjoy the company of each other.  Several in attendance had earned the designation of "Champion" and received the leather jacket and check from EAS, but everyone there was a champion in their own right. 
The BFL program teaches us to set goals and push ourselves toward a healthier being over the course of a 12 week challenge.  Almost everyone  who has accepted and completed the challenge finishes with much more than a smaller waist line and bigger muscles.  They find a new person inside as well.  One who is stronger emotionally and spiritually. That carries over into every aspect of your life.
Bill Phillips, the author of Body for Life, says that while it appears to be an individual sport it is actually a team sport, because when one succeeds, everyone succeeds.  Everyone cheers the others on and that was very evident this weekend. 
Richard shared his amazing story of dying twice at the age of 38!  Talk about a wake up call!  He totally changed his life-style and now is healthy and fit.  Denise shared how important it is to be strong and take care of yourself in order to set an example for others.  Her motivation was her teenage daughter who suffers from luekemia.  She competes in triathlons. Mac, a truly inspirational man, told me that I was an inspiration. HA! His words sure made me think.  I am often more of a negative influence and I would prefer to be an inspiration.  He reminded me that we never know who is we might inspire.  That was my hour of decision, to get off my duff and clean up my act.  It is time to  get and stay fit.  I've completed BFL challenges in the past successfully, but hadn't committed to it as a LIFE style.  Now is the time.

Stephanie Workman was the brains and most of the brawn behind this successful event.  She and her husband Don, along with some other TN BFLer's presented Porter Freeman, every BFL follower's idol, a print of my "Hour of Decision".  Porter  walks the walk and talks the talk of  BFL and is a true friend and encourager to everyone who tries.  He is also a Civil War buff and has a lot of the attributes of The Old General.   I was thrilled that he liked the print.