Eager looks, tear-filled eyes, pleadings for one more chapter, laughter and breaks to talk - that is what reading classical literature has done in my children. We have read through books like The Secret Garden, Black Beauty, Swiss Family Robinson, and Call of the Wild.

The latest, Call of the Wild, has been filled with anxious looks and tears, mostly as we have read of the depths of the cruelty and depravity of man and beast.

As we were reading the other day, something struck me - I am getting more out of it then I am certain the author intended.

As we read of a family coming from the gentle Southland to the harsh Arctic for adventure and to search for gold without a clue how to live and survive, thinking entirely too highly of themselves, relying on their own wisdom, and neglecting the counsel of those who have lived, loved, lost, and knew the terrain, many things flooded my mind. As we read on, we experienced with this family their hardships, and cringed as we saw what the 'toil of trace and trail' made them. The author (Jack London) said, "The wonderful patience of the trail which comes to men who toil hard and suffer sore, and remain sweet of speech and and kindly did not come to these two men and the woman." Oh did it strike my heart! What has '"trace and trail', or trials, and wrongs done to me, produced in me?

Has it produced the complaining, argumentative, angry, and bitter spirit it produced in these people?

Or, has God produced the inner beauty that is precious to him? That of a gentle and quiet spirit? A strength produced that stands firm, unshaken in times of trouble? Is my joy and peace founded upon The immortal, invisible, God only wise? The One as Romans 5:2 says, "through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God."

These verses came racing to my head:

James 2:2-3 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

1 Peter 1:6-8 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

As I continued to contemplate the dangers and tribulations that this family endured that produced bitterness, strife, foolishness and ultimately their death. I took stock of the little I have suffered in my life and began to cry out to My heavenly Father, who is the only one who can refine me, my heart, my speech, my character.

Next week I would like to share with you the thoughts, and talks about wisdom and the gospel I had with my children that this unlikely book produced.