Shimo

An Iditarod

 In the state of Alaska, teams of husky dogs are trained to race 1,000 miles across frozen ice and snow. It is called  the Iditarod, a very serious competition in the middle of the winter.  The lead dog is the most important dog on the team.  His leadership and obedience to his master will determine whether they win or lose.

Shimo was a champion Eskimo lead dog.  He loved to lead and had led his team of sixteen huskies to strong finishes in the last  three Iditiarods.  Ever since he was a young husky, Shimo had the heart to win and the drive to work hard. His trainer, Skilley and Shimo were inseparable.  Day and night they worked hard to be ready for the next run. Shimo's greatest problem was his pride.  He only wanted to be the lead dog, but he was getting older and his legs were crippling.with arthritis.

Jaco and Shimo

Shimo was having trouble working out with younger dogs. Skilley had no alternative then to start training another lead dog. He choose Jaco.  A young Husky, who was strong and was outrunning Shimo in practice.

In the Spring, when Skilly started training his dogs, he had to make a decision, if he should put Jaco in the lead and try Shimo in the pack. Shimo wanted nothing to do with it.  He did not like running with the other dogs and was very jealousy of Jaco taking his place.  Shimo would start fights with Jaco and refused to obey.


The day of the Iditarod was only a week away, Skilley, in order to save the team, had to take Shimo out of the pack.  It broke his heart, but he had no other choice.Shimo had been his very best lead dog for the last five years He had led his team to the finish line many times. If only Shimo wasn't so proud and would accept. his place on the team,, but he didn't.  He just wanted to be first and it cost him the very thing he loved the most, to run in the Iditarod.  Besides, people were financially supporting Skilley's team and expecting him to win this year.  

Shimo wrapped in his blanket

On the day of the Iditarod, Skilley had no alternative than to leave Shimo home.  He wrapped him in  a blanket and tried to settle him down. Shimo knew something wasn't right.  He heard all the others dogs barking excitedly, it had to be the run.  Shimo started to bark  and whine, but Skilley tried not to pay any attention.  It was very hard for him to hear Shimo crying.  Skilley was going to miss Shimo.  He knew how much he wanted  to run.   After hitching up his dogs and packing, Skilley went back for one last hug. "Shimo," said Skilley, 'I know that you don't understand, but it has to be this way.  Maybe you will learn to let Jaco lead and than you can go next year."


Skilley's heart was heavy leaving Shimo at home. About six hours later, Shimo couldn't stand it any more.  He pulled his stake out of the ground and jumped over the fence and headed for the trial.  The only problem was,, it was snowing and all of the tracks were covered.  Shimo thought he knew his way anyway and kept going.

Skilley and the team had finished their first,day, when they got a text from home. "Shimo was missing.  Beiieved to be out looking for you." Skilley's heart sank.  He couldn't  finish the race.  He had to find Shimo  He turned his team around and headed for home. Shimo was more important than winning the iditiarod

The snow was  heavy and Skilley was getting more and more  concerned .  Shimo had now been out in the cold already for a day without any food or water. As they were heading back to home, Shelly noticed somthing that looked like a rock in the middle of the trail..  Could it be Shimo? Skilley hurried , "Mush you Huskies" he shouted..  Quickly, Skilley brushed the snow off the object and there frozen in the snow lay Skimo. Skilley cried and cried as he picked up Shimo, tears streaming down his face. In Shimo's desperate effort to find his master.  Shilley, was caught in the storm and froze to death. He put his champion lead dog on his sled saying, "Oh Shimo, Shimo how much I loved you. Why wouldn't you trust me? You were getting older and I wanted to save your strength so I could enjoy you .  I miss you, I miss you so much.

When Skilley arrived back home everyone was so surprised to hear about Shimo's death. The whole town grieved and mourned his passing.. Shimo had won three Iditiarods and had become a hero.  Skilley didn't finish the Iditiarod that year, instead he created a huge snow statue of the great Shimo for the towns people to celebrate his life..

This is the snow sculpture that Skilley created to honor Skimo

Jealousy, 'The Green Eye Monster

                                                                                                                             

Topsy is the most adorable little girl,, whose perky personality and sprinkling bright brown eyes caught everyone's attention. As she skipped through life with her big captivating smile, her mother would remind her saying,  "Remember Topsy,  'a smile is a curve the sets a lot of things straight.' " I wonder if Topsy really knew what her mother meant.  Do you think you might know?

Topsy's enthusiasm was delightful, as she shipped through life, touching those around her with her happy heart. Her most special play time was with her baby dolls.  She treated them like real babies.  In the morning she would give them a bottle, change their diapers, bath them, and put them down for a morning nap. At lunch time, she would feed them again and in the afternoon she put them in her doll carriage for a walk.

It seemed like every Christmas and birthday she would get a new baby doll. By the time she was five years old, she had a nursery full of baby dolls to care for. She named her first baby doll Molly.  She took Molly everywhere. When she and her mother went to the grocery store, Molly sat in the grocery cart. Topsy loved to take Molly with her to restaurants and sit her in a high chair.  Molly was a very special baby doll to Topsy, UNTIL Susie came into the nursery then Easter, Anna, and Sara, started to take up all of

Topsy's time.
 0ne night when Topsy was sound asleep, Molly  jumped up on her bed. "Topsy, I need to talk to you.," demanded Molly. Topsy responded, "what is this all about ? Molly continued, "You don't spend any more special time with me. We don't go to the grocery store or out to  eat ever since all THOSE other babies arrived in the nursery. I don't think you love me," Molly hurtfully expressed.

Topsy knew that her love for Molly was still the same, "Molly, you know that is not true.  I just have so many more babies to care for, but I always have time for you. You know Molly, I think you are JEALOUS.'  Molly interrupted her, "What do you mean JEALOUS?" Topsy explained that JEALOUSY was a fear of being replaced, and that she thought that all the other babies were taking her place in the nursery. Molly felt rejected."Molly, Molly,' said Topsy,'There is no other baby doll, who could ever take your place. I need your help in the nursery. It is a big job caring for five babies."  Molly felt badly that she had accused Topsy of not loving her and asked for her forgiveness.  Topsy hugged Molly and together they snuggled under the bed covers for the rest of the night.

 When Topsy woke up she expected to find Molly to be right beside her in bed, but she wasn't.  Molly wasn't any where in the nursery. Was her conversation with Molly all a dream? Topsy was so upset and ran crying into her mother's bedroom, "Mommy,  mommy, I can't find Molly"  Her mother gently pulled her aside and said,"Let 's pray.  Jesus knows where everything is." Topsy folded her hands and prayed," Dear Jesus, will you please find Molly for me?"

                                                                                  

Just then the phone rang.  Topsy answered.  It was Mom Mom.  Without even saying hello, Topsy blurted out, "Mom Mom, Molly ran away and I don't know where she is."  Mom Mom answered saying, "guess who came to visit me yesterday? It was Molly. She thinks you forgot her.  I will drop her off on my way to the grocery store."  Topsy was beside herself, "Oh Mom Mom, Jesus found Molly for me.  Do you think Molly and I could go to the store with you?  She hasn't been with me to the store for a long time."  You can be sure that from that day on, Topsy wanted to make Molly feel important to keep that GREEN EYED MONSTER away.