Several years ago, after coming home from a fabulous scrapbooking weekend, my dear darling husband said with exasperation, “I think I have sung the itsy bitsy spider song…300 times!” I laughed, apologized for not warning him, and told him that this was our then 3 year olds favorite thing to do and to get use to it…because it didn’t look like it would end anytime soon!
Do you all remember that simple little song? It has great applications for working hard and acheiving success in life! (be sure to sing & do the hand motions as we take a look at this song…its much more effective!)
“The itsy bitsy spider…went up the water spout”
Do you ever feel “itsy bitsy” with a huge, hard or new task ahead of you? Yes, sometimes when we are beginning a business, career, relationship, fitness regimen, diet, budget or organizational plan or perhaps just adjusting to a new season of life (moving, going away to college, getting married, having your first baby…or 2nd, 3rd, 4th, becoming single again through death or divorce), we simply are not confident that we can really do it. We feel just like the itsy bitsy spider….a small insect trying to scale a seemingly impossibly high pipe. BUT just like the itsy bitsy spider….we have to just start going up the water spout…..no matter how hard and high it seems to be….we need to simply begin to climb and move forward.
“Down came the rain…and washed the spider out”
YES, it may be depressing but it is true. The rain will come…..to everyone! Everyone has had the rain come down on them & wash them out. DO NOT THINK for one minute that those who seem to have “made it” have not experienced everything that you have gone through. They have had hardships – sickness & disease, handicaps, financial setbacks & ruin, emotional stress & pain, devastating loss, rejection, intimidation, betrayal….you name it….they have experienced it and YOU WILL TOO! It’s part of living. (If you do not believe it – read Matthew 5:45 – the rain falls on both the good and the bad!)
“Up came the sun & dried up all the raindrops”
Now that we have been reminded that the rain will come, let’s be diligent at getting the sun to dry up all those raindrops! The sun is often our attitude and outlook. You’ve all heard the saying that negative people see the cup half empty and positive people see the cup half full. Well, let’s go one step beyond that and say….successful people see the cup completely full! (half full of water & half full of air). The better our outlook and attitude…the faster those rain drops will dry up & we can get on and about our business of climbing. I have said it before & I’ll say it again – we need to guard our hearts, minds & spirits from anything negative. We need to aggressively pursue a positive attitude & outlook, not just sit by and hope we will see life through rose colored classes. Its as easy as 1…2…3 1. Cast out any negative thoughts & attitudes2. Fill your mind with positive (books, emails, videos, audio tapes & uplifting music)3. Surround yourself with positive, inspiring & successful people
“And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again.”
Ok….so its not exciting but consistency works! You simply must get out there and CONSISTENTLY keep climbing. There is no short cut, there is no other way. Do the right things and do them over & over & over & over and yes even over again (even when you don’t “feel” like it and despite the rain…because it will come) and you will succeed at anything you want to do in this life. Iza Trapani told & illustrated a book about the itsy bitsy spider that ended with this verse:
The itsy bitsy spider
Climbed up without a stop
She spun a silky web
Right at the very top
She wove and she spun
And when her web was done,
The itsy bitsy spider
Rested in the sun.
May you all begin the climb today not letting the rain stop you, keeping a positive outlook, consistently working hard day in and day out until you are resting in the sun, basking in the contentment and joy of a job well done.
Inspire Ministries 