I was praying this morning and felt a deeply profound gratitude for the records I call scriptures.  I call them scriptures and they have been accepted by many others as scriptures--but not everybody--because we consider them holy, sacred, spiritual communications from God to man.  The reason for my gratitude is because these records provide very specific focus on one "family tree".  The family of Adam and Eve, but then it narrows even more to the family of Noah, down through Abraham through Isaac and then Jacob.  In each case, the narrowing of the focus is through individuals who make and keep covenants with God.  I was imagining that this is a bit like having a very detailed description of one tree in a forest of millions of trees.  Like walking into forest and drawing all of my attention to just one tree--a tree that, from the perspective of the entire forest, might even seem insignificant if it weren't for the scriptures.  What does focusing on this tree teach me about myself, about life, about others and my relationships with them?  I believe that this focus has given me direction and meaning, it has helped me deal better with the tragedy and pain of life, with disappointment and sorrow.  It has helped me feel assured of something more meaningful than this life only.