Different Dream Living Blog
The Tale of Two Families, Part 3
The previous two posts in this series, you learned how the needs of two ordinary families led to the creation of Faith, Hope & Charity, a residential care facility for children with special needs. To learn more about the many services currently offered at their...
The Tale of Two Families, Part 2
In the first post in this series you met Rose and Mary, two mothers who made a big difference in their small Iowa town. Their efforts began in the mid-1960s when they needed assistance caring for their special needs daughters, Brenda and Becky. Small Beginnings The...
The Tale of Two Families, Part 1
A few weeks ago, during a visit to Storm Lake, Iowa I toured Faith, Hope & Charity , a residential care facility for children with disabilities. This impressive facility serves 32 children, ages 3 - 18, in four homelike wings. Fascinating History But what...
What is Arts for All?
Kids and sidewalk chalk go together, don't you think? But throw a wheelchair or a walker into the mix, and it becomes almost impossible for some kids to enjoy this childhood delight. Now, thanks to Dwayne Szot, children with disabilities can enjoy sidewalk chalk and a...
Meal Planning Made Easy
Recently, I spoke to a Mothers of Pre-Schoolers (MOPS) group about ten things they can do to help families with critically or chronically ill children. Number ten was coordinating the volunteers who want to provide meals. A Better Way After the program, one of the...
How to Reduce the Get Away Hassles
If you are the parent of a special needs child, you know how hard it is arrange for care so you can get away. Even if someone is willing to stay with your child, explaining the care giving routine is such a hassle, many parents decide it's just easier to stay home....
Julie Papievis Part 3: Help for Brain Injured Kids
In Part 1 of this series, you met Julie Papievis, a woman who miraculously survived a near fatal brain stem injury. In that post she shared five positive ways her injury and recovery changed her. In Part 2 of the series, she shared seven valuable tips about how...
Julie Papievis, Part 2: 7 Ways Parents Can Support Brain Injured or Special Needs Kids
In the first post in this series, you read about Julie Papievis, a woman who survived and recovered from a severe brain stem injury. In that post, Julie shared five positive ways the accident changed her. In this one, she gives advice to parents of children with brain...
Julie Papievis, Part 1: How a Brain Stem Injury Changed Her
Julie Papievis was a dynamo before the car accident that changed her life. Now, more than a decade after her brain stem was so badly damaged the EMTs were sure she would die, she’s a dynamo again. In the months and years between her injury and recovery, which was...
Does God Know What He’s Doing?
Recently, a friend sent me a URL and a very short email. "Check this one out," it said. "PLEASE WATCH: R. C. Sproul, Chuck Colson, & Joni Eareckson Tada talk about families & disabilities." What Could R.C. Sproul, Chuck Colson, & Joni Eareckson Tada Have...