A Midsummer's Happy List

We've hit the halfway point to the summer, and I don't know about you, but we're having some serious fun in our little kingdom. Here's what's making us happy in the 'Lou this week - what's making your summer rock?

• The Saint Louis Zoo - OK, so I know my friend Nancy is not particularly happy with the zoo because of its decimated gorilla situation (Nancy is a gorilla fanatic - the Midwestern version of Dian Fossey. I fully expect to get a message from her one day saying she's off to Rwanda and may never return. When that happens, Nancy, may I have your big screen TV? Mwah - love you!). But, other than the gorillas, the STL Zoo is a great, educational, mostly free activity for families to enjoy (I say mostly free because while it's free admission, the parking fees, train and carousel rides and special attraction fees can add up). My personal favorite is Penguin & Puffin Coast - you can pretty much get nose-to-nose with the cute little buggers, and I swear they pose for photos. Seriously. Pull out your camera and see what happens.


• Our friends Dan & Sue Jenkins, who along with their too-cute kids Emma, Isaiah and Caleb, are preparing to move to Costa Rica to serve as missionaries for ReachGlobal. We had a wonderful sloppy burger cookout with the Jenkins family recently and heard the story of their journey-before-their-journey that led them to becoming missionaries and leading ReachGlobal's microenterprise efforts in Costa Rica. They still need help raising all of their salary and living expenses before they go - they're about 40 percent away from their goal, so please check out their blog to learn more, and please pray about giving to help their efforts.


• So You Think You Can Dance - need I say more?


• This book. Get it. Read it. Then pass it on. Everyone needs to read this book, then decide what they can personally do to get us back on track. We're all in this together, people. Let's make it happen!