Yesterday was the day: I finally felt brave enough to pass out kazoos to my kindergarten music students. “We’ve been in school for almost six months,” I reassured myself. “Surely, they’re ready.”
First, a thorough demonstration was in order. I took out a kazoo and showed the children what happens when you simply blow into it. Nothing. “Boys and Girls, you need to go like this, ‘toot, toot, toot’, for the kazoo to make noise. I tooted without the kazoo, then I tooted with it–to help them connect the dots.
The moment of truth, or consequence, was at hand. I passed out the instruments and prepared to lead the children in a rousing rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, accompaniment by guitar and lead kazoo (that’s me).🤠
Most of my young friends got the knack of it, but two literally stopped the music. They came up to me–mid song–in tears: “It’s broken!” “I can’t make it work.” I checked their kazoos; both were in operational condition. “Are you going ‘toot, toot, toot‘ like I told you?” I asked, smiling.
“Waaaaaaah!”😭
We returned to the song, but the two miffed musicians were just getting started. They went back to their seats but continued to boo hoo and wail like nobody’s business. Suddenly, one of them sent their red kazoo flying–bouncing it off the bathroom door.
Thankfully, the other forty-two children in the room paid them no mind. I forged ahead and let the rabble rousers calm down on their own.
“For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
These are comforting words for every child of God. But when His plans for us involve something new and untried, they can be harder to believe.
Confession: The Lord has given me an assignment, setting everything up. All I needed to do was play along. But I had little resilience. At the first obstacle, I stopped trying and started crying–“I can’t do this. It doesn’t work!”
“Waaaaaaah!”😭
The Holy Spirit said, with a smile, “Are you going ‘toot, toot, toot’ like I told you?”
Kind reader, exploring new territory in our walk with God can easily lead to spiritual “kazoo snafus.” But, never fear, God’s GPS is spot on.
If the Lord delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
Psalm 37:23-24 (NIV)
Thank you for reading. 🙏❤️ prayers and love.
Photo by Monstera on Pexels.com
Davids Daily Dose 
Comments
55 responses to “Kazoo Snafu”
Thank you, CG. It is indeed an adventure. I’ve been working with elementary aged children for almost 20 years now. Sometimes, they still surprise me.
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Congratulations on no more melt downs! Keep up the good work. You are a blessing to those kids.
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I thought I was done with kazoos until spring—after what happened—but I tried again the next two class periods. There were no more melt downs.😊
Thanks for reading and commenting, Chris. I know you are a busy guy, so I appreciate your stopping by.
As you say, “Blessings!”
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I agree. You’re a brave man to hand out kazoos to kindergartners. Bless you for your work with so many young souls. And thanks for sharing your experiences with us so you can also teach us.
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Amen!
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Thank God for kazoo lessons that we can all learn from! 🙏🙂
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So am I. It’s one of those posts we are unlikely to forget. 😀
God Bless, David.
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Thank you, Lesley. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Alan is a dear friend and brother–though we have yet to meet in person. I grateful he reposted this. God Bless!
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I’m so glad that Alan reposted this as I missed your original post. What a good teacher you are, David – not just with the kiddies, but relating their experiences to all of us too. I also enjoyed reading everyone’s comments. 🙂
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[…] days in my schedule until today. I was desperate to share this amazing devotional post by brother David Duncan with you all. I hope and pray that it will be a blessing to you as it has been to me in the last […]
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Thank you, Simply B!
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I love this. The visual is perfect, the lesson from scripture so good.
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Thanks, brother!
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Just wanted to let you know I have scheduled the repost of this excellent post on Friday at 0003 GMT UK time.
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And I did it again yesterday and today.🙃 No melt downs this week.
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Thank you, Manette Kay! It’s seems like the Lord teaches me things through the children on daily basis.
God Bless.
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A fun story to read, David. We are so blessed by the lessons you extract from happenings at school–they’re so relatable.
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It is a brave moment to hand out kazoos to a room full of Kindergartners 🙂
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Thank you, Jo! God Bless.
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I laughed but also nodded in agreement…great story and lesson here David!
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Not brave enough to try again anytime soon! I put the kazoos away after that first class. I think I’ll try again after spring break.
I suspect there are plenty of dented spiritual kazoos out there, Beth! I know I’ve thrown one or two. It’s a good thing God is patient and kind—not treating us like our sins deserve.
Thanks for stopping by! God Bless.
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You are a brave man David. The idea of kazoos and kindergarteners would send me running. You are truly a master of your art with 42 tooters and only 2 wailers. Your Biblical application is spot on and memorable. I will completely confess that I’ve responded more than once like a “miffed musician” when I hit a spiritual “Kazoo Snafu.”
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Amen!
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Thank you for reading, commenting, and following, Autumn!
My resilience is better (with most things) than it used to be, but I still have work to do.
Thankfully, God is patient and kind.
Blessings!
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Man oh man oh man. That’s been a lifelong work of mine-building resilience and not thinking the world is over after one failed attempt. You’re speaking to the kid in me. Thanks David💚
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It can indeed be all of the above, Pete! Yesterday was in the middle—challenging.
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36-40 Children 5-6 years of age in one place for forty minutes sounds exciting, challenging or terrifying all at once. Every day must be an adventure!
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There are about 25 in each class but I have a class and a half or double class of my young friends daily. There are always a few absent from , so I end up with 36-40 something.
I considered a few scriptures to spotlight with this post but settled on the passage from Jeremiah.
Thanks for stopping by, Pastor Pete! God Bless!
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Love it Dave! Great point and interesting scripture connection. You’ve got how many kindergartners in one class?
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Thank you, Crystal. There are a few passages from Jeremiah I have underlined in my Bible. There’s another one in chapter 33. I forget the exact address.
Thanks for stopping by!
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I love Jeremiah 29:11 and your confession. Such a human piece!
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Dented kazoo, for sure! That’s an accurate word picture, Gary. It’s a good thing God loves us as we are, but he also loves us too much to leave us that way.
God Bless.
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Yay!
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Thank you! I’ve learned, over time, to not “set my sails against a child’s wind,” so to speak. The two kazoo players were simply overwhelmed. I tried not to take it personally.
Thank you for reading and commenting! Blessings.
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I wish I had been in your class at school. What a wonderful influence you are in the lives of these children!
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You are right, I don’t like those kind of surprises!
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And speaking of taxes, your accumulated bonus points earn interest, and you do not have to pay taxes on them! That’s what make them bonus!
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Ha, I found myself shaking my head and thinking “I’m sure glad David can handle little kids like that and pull an accurate illustration out of the bag that I have resembled before God at times” Yep, good one.
God says to me “come unto me and bring your dented kazoo…”
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Thank you for the bonus points! I now have 15,338 in my account.😎
My kazoo snafu was a bit of a surprise—like you getting a self-employed contractor with three foreign bank accounts who thinks he has a simple tax return.😵💫
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And as I said I’m being generous with awarding bonus points this year, you get 4557 for your use of “snafu!”
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Thanks for sharing your classroom stories! Proof we can find God in everything!
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I’m with you, sister! It never hurts to review the instructions before having a melt down. Thank you for reading and sharing! God Bless.
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I love when the Holy Spirit asks me “Are you going ‘toot, toot, toot’ like I told you?” Sets me right back on track, and calms me down so I don’t chuck my kazoo across the room!
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Amen, brother Chris! Your comment is a mini post within a post. Thank you, and God Bless.
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When things aren’t working out, we typically blame the teacher (Holy Spirit), but did we really listen when He was instructing us? Or were we too busy planning to do it our own way instead of the way He showed us? Help me listen better, Lord.
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Thanks, BG!
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That is a rootin’ tootin’ good story. I hear you! Your talent makes me want to go Toot Toot!
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Thanks, Peggy! Post COVID, the children (especially the young ones) can’t take as much rigor in the classroom. I found that out again yesterday!
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Beautiful story and life application! Makes me miss the classroom. Thanks.
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I’d be delighted! Thank you. 🙏
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Would you mind if I reposted this later in the week?
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Thank you, Ken!
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“Throws a wobbly” is right, my brother! Sometimes we don’t foresee what we’re walking into—even with proper preparation. Graciously, God is never surprised.
I greatly appreciate our friendship in the Lord, older brother.😉 Ok, I’m only slightly younger than you.
Blessings!
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Enjoyed this – well done.
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I totally loved this post David; you certainly have a knack for sharing a beautiful school story and using it to illustrate a valuable spiritual point. I must remember the next time when life throws me a wobbly…”The Holy Spirit said, with a smile, “Are you going ‘toot, toot, toot’ like I told you?”
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