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NOVEMBER 2023
HEALTHY, WEALTHY,
& Wise
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WHAT ARE YOUR NON-NEGOTIABLES? Follow the Footsteps of Coach Deion Sanders
How often do you lower your standards? For this life lesson, I wanted to discuss a quote that has plenty of meaning for anyone following the Colorado Buffaloes: “Today’s compromise becomes tomorrow’s standard.” When I think of this saying, it reminds me how often we believe a compromise or perhaps an easy way out is just a “one-time thing.” Unfortunately, it’s too easy for this compromise to become our norm and, ultimately, lead to lower personal standards. It’s not that we obviously want this decline to happen or even recognize when it’s occurring, but it slowly takes place every time we drop the ball on things we most value. So, what does this have to do with the Colorado Buffaloes football team? Well, the team and their incredible new coach, Deion Sanders, have shown what can happen when you refuse to compromise on high standards. The standards we stick by, even the most difficult ones, define who we are. I can’t help but find it refreshing to have a role model who holds himself as an example to others like Coach Sanders does. He doesn’t let a single standard slip away from him, and we see the effect this has had on the team.
There’s no denying that the 2022 football season was awful for the Buffaloes — the team finished 1-11! There’s rarely a simple or quick fix for a downfall like that, but Sanders accomplished a sweeping turnaround just by instilling his philosophy to refuse to settle for less. When Sanders joined as the new head coach, the team got a new set of rules and standards. Suddenly, players weren’t just trudging along and going through the motions; they were reminded that playing on the team was a privilege. Their performance was altered by employing a new culture and a shifted mindset. Sanders’ goal was for these young men to not only be skilled football players but also dedicated students and good citizens. This transformation is an example of something that can be translated into all of our lives. It’s time to look at our own standards and see what we’ve let fall through the cracks. What’s the one compromise we make today which might rob us of the future we dream of? Take a minute and think. What are your non-negotiables? What are those standards you hold that mean the most for you? Once you can determine the answers, you can better adhere to them. Sometimes, you may find the standards you’re clinging to aren’t as important as you think, and maybe a compromise isn’t a compromise at all. This past summer, I pushed myself to work out for 50 days in a row. Then, I started traveling and could not fit in my exercises every day. I felt disappointed, but I had to ask myself, does it matter to me that much? The little rings on my Apple Watch are nowhere near as meaningful as the experiences I had traveling or the work I did along the way. That’s why it’s so vital we understand exactly what our non- negotiables are. Let’s follow Sanders’ lead and stand by our actual standards. Don’t let them go!
–Ann Vanderslice
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FANTASY, ROMANCE, AND ADVENTURE AWAIT The Magical Worlds of Ashley Beach, Author
Our team had the pleasure of meeting author Ashley Beach through her father, who came to Retirement Planning Strategies (now Federal Benefits Made Simple) after he concluded his time as a federal officer. While we helped him secure a safe closing to his career, we were able to see Ashley’s bloom and flourish. Creating and exploring whole new worlds, Ashley has penned several fairy tale fantasies perfect for escaping. The Solstice Chronicles includes three books with different seasons, which represent different fantasy realms. Full of suspense, adventure, and romance, The Solstice Chronicles follows an array of characters from each season who face a choice between good and evil, both in the world around them and within themselves.
book was released this past August, and Ashley has no intention of stopping anytime soon!
While Ashley has always been an avid reader, consuming every fantasy novel in sight, it took her time to realize writing was the career for her. As a kid, she would sink under the covers and read past her bedtime with a flashlight illuminating her pages. Her nose was always in a book, from Nancy Drew to classic fairy tales, but when it was time for college enrollment, she studied drama and theater.
Featuring characters like Hades, Persephone, Hansel, and Gretel,
these books are perfect for all ages. Ashley even has a fourth and final installment coming soon! Fans of fantasy books and series like The Chronicles of Narnia will love The Solstice Chronicles.
The professions may differ, but storytelling is always at the heart of Ashley’s creative endeavors. Her professors shared just how vital storytelling is in our lives and how one single story can reach countless people and connect us all. Inspired, she began showing the beauty that lies in her own writings and how they magnify the light in each of our lives. When asked about her idea of a perfect retirement, Ashley said she’ll be beyond content as long as she can still write and express herself in her stories. She even hopes to start a theater company in the future!
If you’re more interested in adrenaline-filled adventures,
Ashley’s latest Heart of God series should be next on your reading list. Follow Selah Cross and Dylan Kinkaide as they chase after ancient artifacts while navigating their own beliefs. The first
You can learn more about Ashley and her books on her website, BeautyRestored.org.
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A DOG’S INTUITION: HOW BABU SAVED HER HUMAN FROM A TSUNAMI
The tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011 was unimaginable; the natural disaster killed nearly 20,000 people in minutes. But amid the chaos, there was at least one tiny miracle: an 11-year-old Shih Tzu named Babu. Tami Akanuma, an 83-year-old woman living in the coastal city of Miyako, had her typical morning interrupted by a 9.0 earthquake that shook her house roughly 200 yards from the coast. When it stopped, she breathed a sigh of relief, but Babu became extremely agitated. The small dog began frantically pacing around the living room, moaning, and jumping at the door. Though it was early for Babu’s morning walk, Akanuma decided to appease her. Sources differ on what happened next. Some say officials broadcast a tsunami warning, and Akanuma realized she must evacuate, while others state she knew nothing of the impending disaster. But everyone agrees that Babu jumped into
action. She instantly headed for a large hill near Akanuma’s home — the opposite direction of the pair’s usual walk. Akanuma did not dismiss the dog’s instincts. Babu tugged urgently at her leash, running as far as she could before turning to her owner. Akanuma said Babu seemed to be encouraging her to move faster, and the dog ran ahead every time Akanuma caught up. Akanuma later estimated they walked more than half a mile in a few minutes. Only moments after the duo finally reached the top of the hill, they watched an enormous wave wash over their home. The house was destroyed, but Akanuma and Babu escaped with their lives. How did Babu do it? People have long suspected that animals can predict natural disasters, but the truth is elusive. Scientists agree that animals aren’t psychic but disagree on whether something else might
be at play. Some attribute the supposed phenomenon to the “psychological focusing effect,” or a human tendency to emphasize one detail in our memories while discarding others. But others point to dogs’ heightened senses of hearing and smell, suggesting animals may be able to detect small atmospheric changes that humans can’t. No matter the explanation, Akanuma credited her dog with saving her life, and the two gratefully celebrated Babu’s 12th birthday from an evacuation shelter only weeks later.
Page 3 article references: https://ministryearth.com/2021/01/12/love-and-loyalty-dog, https://theworld.org/stories/2011-03-29/shih-tzu-saves-owner-tsunam, https://goldsea.com/Text/index.php?id=10675, https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/2012/10/pet-sense-disaster/
Train Your
BRAIN!
Stuffed Pepper Soup
Stuffed bell peppers are a common meal in many households. And as temperatures begin to drop, there’s no better way to warm up than by turning this classic recipe into a hearty — and healthy — soup
INGREDIENTS
• 2 lbs ground beef • 6 cups water • 1 28-oz can tomato sauce • 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tsp salt • 2 tsp beef bouillon granules • 1 tsp black pepper • 2 cups cooked long-grain rice • Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• 2 cups chopped green peppers • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
DIRECTIONS
1. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook beef until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles; drain. Add beef back to the pot and stir in all ingredients except the cooked rice. Bring to a boil. 2. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until peppers are tender, about 30 minutes. 3. Add cooked rice and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
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INSIDE THIS
The Power of Uncompromising Standards PAGE 1 Ashley Beach’s Thrilling New Literary Adventure PAGE 2 The Heroic Hound Who Saved a Life in Japan’s Tsunami Stuffed Pepper Soup PAGE 3 Did the FBI Really ‘Steal’ $86 Million? PAGE 4
HANG ON — THE FBI ROBBED A BANK? The Story Behind a Mind-Blowing California Raid
“This was the largest armed robbery in United States history, and it was committed by the FBI.” That jaw-dropping statement came from Robert Frommer, an attorney representing several hundred people whose safe deposit boxes were emptied during an FBI raid in 2021. The story is wild from start to finish. On that fateful day in March, armed FBI agents stormed a California strip mall and burst into a U.S. Private Vaults bank branch. They searched 1,400 safe deposit boxes and confiscated the contents of many of them — making off with roughly $86 million, plus valuable collectibles like coins, gold, and jewelry. Why would the agency do this? Well, after a two-year investigation, the FBI suspected U.S. Private Vaults was catering to drug dealers and other criminals hiding cash in Los Angeles. So, the agency obtained a warrant and raided the bank to look for proof. And apparently, they found it. After the raid, U.S. Private Vaults pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder drug money and closed its doors for good. However, that wasn’t the end of the saga.
their safe deposit boxes back from the FBI. They said they weren’t criminals and wanted their money back.
One of those people was Joseph Ruiz, who lost $57,000 in savings during the FBI raid. He filed a lawsuit, claiming the raid was unconstitutional. When the FBI accused Ruiz of making his money through illegal drug sales, Ruiz showed proof of his income, and in August 2021, the FBI agreed to return his funds. However, not every U.S. Private Vaults customer has been so lucky. In September 2022, a judge ruled that the FBI raid was legal under civil forfeiture laws and dismissed the depositors’ class-action lawsuit. An FBI spokesperson also said the agency was putting a process in place to return items to innocent owners, but as of March 2023, at least one person still claimed she hadn’t gotten her money back — even though she wasn’t criminally charged. If this story ever becomes a Hollywood movie, we’ll be first in line at the box office.
Remember attorney Robert Frommer? Roughly 400 people who kept their money at U.S. Private Vaults hired him to get the contents of
Page 4 article references: https://www.businessinsider.com/fbi-accused-misleading-judge-for-86m-safety-deposit-box-raid-2022-9, https://www.esquire.com/ news-politics/politics/a37680745/fbi-confiscate-safe-deposit-boxes-los-angeles-bank, https://www.businessinsider.com/fbi-raid-1400-boxes-us-private-vaults- ruling-2022-10, https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a37680745/fbi-confiscate-safe-deposit-boxes-los-angeles-bank, https://www.foxnews.com/us/ fbi-took-life-savings-now-fighting-help-others-get-back
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