Days of Thanksgiving: Day 3 (Big Daddy Love)

     There is not a day that goes by that I don't thank God for my husband Dave a.k.a. Big Daddy Love. I really did fall for him the moment I met him. He has the most loving sweet smile. Those that don't know him, here is a picture of the man I love.

 How can you not love a man that will don the Gilligan hat and let his pre-teen children climb on his lap like they are 3. What a wonderful testimony on his behalf that his pre-teen children still want something to do with him. I am thankful beyond measure that he loves Jesus as much as I do and tries so hard to obey and trust in God. I think it is so much harder for men to let go and let God take control. God made them to be protectors and providers. Dave really excels at both. I couldn't have picked a better mate for myself and father for my children. I really believe when God made Big Daddy he was thinking of me. Don't get me wrong our marriage and life is not perfect. There are days in which I feel like pinching his head off and rolling it across the floor. That comes with the bringing together of two headstrong people. I am sure there are many more days that he feels this way than I. He has made it a priority to work on us and to keep this family going. I went online one time and took a family dynamic test. The results were quite eye opening. My poor husband turned out to be a Lion (Strong, organized, keep everything in order, worker) living in a house of Otters (playful, fun loving, unworker types). I know only through an act of God that this man I call husband survives with us, not only does God help him to survive, shockingly my Big Daddy thrives. I think one of the ways he is able to thrive is that he has been blessed with a wonderful sense of humor. Living with me really requires it. Nothing better than a family sitting around laughing until someone snorts (that would be me) or someone is laughing so hard they have tears running down their face. That man knows how to make me laugh. So,thank you God for giving me the gift of this wonderful man. Thank you my Beloved Big Daddy for loving and caring for us. My life would be such a lonely, less happy place without you. Like the old song says I would survive, but why would I want to just survive when I can thrive!!! I love you to the moon and back, to infinity and beyond!!! I have been asked before how do you guys do it. Well, we try to use the Bible as a model of how our family should be. I know these verses aren't popular with a lot of women or men, but this is truly the answer to all of my families problems. When we follow and live by these verses everything else just seems to falls into place.
  Ephesians 5:22-33-²² Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; ²⁹ for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, ³⁰ because we are members of His body. ³¹ FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. ³² This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Father God, I thank you so much for my husband and the life you have put before us. I pray for your continued protection and grace for our marriage. May you continue to grow us closer and give us a greater love for you and for each other and may you bless those marriages of those who read this, bring them closer to you and closer to each other. In your Son, Jesus' precious, holy name I pray, Amen.




I adapted Big Daddy's favorite with using leftover turkey. :

Stuffed Bell Peppers

4 large bell peppers – any color (Big Daddy prefers red or orange, because they are sweet like him)

2 cups shredded leftover turkey

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (if you like it spicy, just add more)

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 to 1 ½ cups of Rice

1 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the tops off and de-seed the peppers and set them aside.

In large skillet add the turkey with onions, garlic, salt and peppers just until the 

 onions are translucent.

Stir in the tomatoes continue till tomatoes are heated through.

Add in 4 0z. of the cheddar cheese cook until it  is melted .

Take off burner and stir  in sour cream until it is blended thoroughly.

Add in the cooked rice and stuffing mix is done.

Pour the chicken broth into a casserole dish large enough to hold your peppers.

Stuff your peppers with mix (don’t be afraid to overstuff) and stand in your dish.

Cover casserole tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

Take foil off and spoon some juice from the dish over the peppers.

Cover each stuffed pepper with the remaining 4 oz. of cheese.

Bake another 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is all melted and bubbly.