Celebrity Saturday--Miss PattyCake

It's Miss PattyCake! Miss PattyCake is a beloved Christian character, played by Jean Thomason, who teaches preschool-aged children biblical songs about Jesus and God's love. Here is a bit of background from this Web site: "The character of Miss PattyCake was created after Jean and her friend Nancy Gordon realized there was a need for preschool music that teaches, worships, and encourages parent-child interaction. ... Miss PattyCake wears a bright, colorful smock with a heart and two hands printed on three pockets. This theme came from an old Shaker motto, 'Hands to Work and Hearts to God.'" (BTW, it's so cute when Kate points to the heart on Miss PattyCake's outfit and says, "aught!")

I was first introduced to Miss PattyCake via her children's videos by my sister Cindy when her older children were much smaller. Miss PattyCake is a friend of a friend of Cindy's ... or something like that, if I remember correctly. Anyway, her kids *loved* Miss PattyCake, as did my sister Robin's kids.


Miss PattyCake talks to Rebekah on my phone, 2004

Speaking of ... I ended up meeting Miss PattyCake at a Christian conference back in 2004. I was manning a booth for Operation Christmas Child, and Miss PattyCake was there with a booth of her own. I was so excited to see her because I knew how much my nieces and nephews enjoyed her videos. Miss PattyCake was so sweet--not only did she pose for a couple of photos, but also she agreed to call my niece Rebekah, who was only 2 at the time. It just so happened that Grammy was watching Rebekah that day--and so I called them up. Grammy put Rebekah on the phone, and I put Miss PattyCake on the phone. But ... being only 2 ... I don't think Rebekah fully understood what was going on because she started crying. Or maybe those were tears of excitement? LOL!


Kate eyes her Miss PattyCake Easter DVD while her Miss PattyCake doll keeps her company.

Anyway ... fast-forward to this year. Robin gave Kate some of Rebekah and Riley's old Miss PattyCake DVDs as well as their old Miss PattyCake doll. When I first tried to show Kate one of the programs, she was not interested. I thought she might be too young. But ... I showed her the Easter one (Miss PattyCake's Eggstravaganza) a week or two ago, and she LOVED it. She has watched it or at least part of it almost every day for the last week. Kate even asks to watch "CaCakes," her name for Miss PattyCake.


Kate gives her Miss PattyCake doll a kiss.

It really warms my heart to see Kate so interested in Miss PattyCake's programs because I know she is not just watching television--she is learning biblical principals and the Truth of God's Word. I love it! I am not going to lie to you, though. At times, Miss PattyCake can be a bit over the top for us old, crusty adults (she is very sugary-sweet)--but kids love her, and that is what matters, IMO. I noticed on Miss PattyCake's Web site that she is scheduled to appear at First Baptist Atlanta in October--I hope we can make it!


Miss PattyCake says to make every day a "PattyCake Praise Day!"

_______

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me." --Matthew 18:1-5, NIV