The Miyagase Dam on the Nakatsu River commands the landscape as the river cascades down into the valley below.

This pristine, cold water is perfect for these hot summer days, providing an ideal place to fish, swim or enjoy a barbecue.

Today we've come up here to enjoy a day off with our friends along the Nakatsu River at TashiroUndo Park.

Here come the girls! Coming down the stream like a lazy river!

Did it make you thirsty, playing in the water? And hungry?

OK, we're going to have some good food here.

We're going to have meat, we're going to have chicken and sausage.

Meat and chicken and sausage — that sounds awesome to me.

(In Portuguese) What's your preferred meat?

It's everything. Everything?!

It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter

It just has to be meat! Yes, it just has to be meat.

There's the meat! That's it right there.

Are you hungry? Good!

You too Becster?

Mommy too. Mommy too!

(In Portuguese) And how about you guys? Are you hungry? Not so much?

I am! Ah, OK.

Sarah's already eating, huh?!

Just the day before, a small group of friends and family got together at Paz Coffee Shop

as Side and Jaquie celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary and renewed their wedding vows.

It was so good to have something positive to celebrate again that our celebration spilled over into the next day along the Nakatsu River.

(In Portuguese) And the celebration continues!

Yes it does — and with Churrasco!

It's really good.

Hey guys, how's it going?! Ah, Daddy's back!

Whoa, hey dude!

Daddy, we went in the boat. We went all the way over there and came back.

Really?! Without hardly getting wet!

But we crashed into a rock and it went (imitates sound)

So we're getting done here.

Wow- there doesn't seem to be an end!

That's Churrasco — there's no end!

But our celebrations didn't end there — it was time to celebrate one of our own family — our very own momma chan!

Today is a big day — Ruth's birthday!

The big 41!

Whew! 41! We're going to go celebrate!

But before that Daddy's going to give Mommy a present.

Now let me take a little video.

Wow

Those are pretty, huh? Those are beautiful.

Did he do it for you? No, I picked them.

But then he put them together. It was two different ones.

Are you going to dump the water for Daddy?

Yeah.

They're coming out! They're coming out.

Mommy's coming out! Mommy's coming

I need the car turned on please. Alright.

I hot.

Oh look soap!

Ah, yep, there's the soap!

Oh, it's not done? Oh no, it's going to take like 5 or 10 minutes.

It's pretty cool, huh guys?

Oh! Here comes the dryer!

See, the water sprays on to rinse it off.

And then the air's blowing it down and away.

Pretty freakin' cool! Are we done?

See that light over there — it's red right now. But when it turns green, we're all done.

All finally done?

Look at those teeth!

Sarah lost a tooth and is getting another one back in, right?

Oh nice, I like it. I like it.

It looks like I have three front teeth.

Green! Oh there it is! It's all green!

We're done, yeah! OK everybody, sit down. Buckle in.

Here comes Momma chan!

Mommy's here! Where were (was) you?

I was working!

She had to work on her birthday!

Get some bread ready for the Coffee Shop.

That's right. Cinnamon roll dough. It's all good.

Alright, now we're going to go celebrate Momma's birthday!

Yeah!

How was the car wash? Gooooooood.

Hey Dude! Where are you going? Right here.

Shopping with Momma on her birthday!

Should we go down? Yeah!

OK, I'll get you each an emoji one.

Mommy's choosing chocolates but it means that we all get to choose some chocolates too.

Ok - which ones would you like? Joshua I think you should get the sunglasses.

You all squeezing in, waiting for Mommy?

It's some birthday cake — everyone's enjoying! You look like you're loving it, huh?

Is it so yummy? Yea!

Let's sing — hello! OK, ready?

(Singing Happy Birthday)

It's 36 degrees out right now, but it feels like 46 degrees!

That's like 114, 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

So the kids want to go out and play outside, I don't blame them,

But it's so hot, so we're going to go to a park with water.

Water is an essential part of the summer experience in Japan.

We are setting up our swing!

OK, let's see.

Thanks to Anna! I needed to climb up that tree!

Good job, Anna!

Anna, stop it! I'm having fun!

Hey Daddy — is it OK if you go to the deep water with me?

OK, hang on just a second. I'm going to watch them swing and then I'll go with you.

Let's see. That's pretty good, huh?

It's not going to swing too much up there, you know? It will swing more at the bottom.

It's Becca the explorer!

Yes!

Is your new doll going for a swim? Yeah.

Very nice.

Here's John. John's on break right now. What's up?

He's got the phone out, no!

I caught you! I caught you! The work never ends.

Me and my Father are always working.

This is the summertime snack right now — some grapes!

Everybody's chowing in.

Hey, did you guys bring this? We did.

Wow- did you buy this at Costco or what?

Believe it or not, we didn't. Found it online.

Ha! I don't believe it. Yeah.

I don't believe it.

We bought something cool that wasn't bought at Costco.

Weeeee! Oh Ben, I don't think that branch can hold you!

That branch looks like it's about to come down!

This girls are having a sleepover here tonight at their cousins

Yeah! At Uncle Ben and Aunt Debbie's.

Right? YEAH!

Yes?!

We're going to watch the new Life in Japan.

I'm ready to do my interactions.

Water brings life and refreshment wherever it's found, and there's no river quite as near and dear to us as the Tama River.

This river flows right in front of our home, and provides us with a beautiful green view in the middle of the city

a view you get to enjoy every week!

Recently we've discovered a whole new way to enjoy it.

Adults hang out in the shade... And Uncle Paul swims with the kids.

And Uncle Paul swims with the kids!

At 138 km long and a basin of 1240 km2, the Tama River is a large river by Japanese standards.

It flows from the mountains West of Tokyo and comes down to divide the cities of Tokyo and Kawasaki.

The cities' high growth period from 1965-1975 severely affected the river

as it became polluted with run-off, sewage and processing plants along the river.

Therefore the Tama River got a bad name.

But the efforts in recent decades to reclaim the health of the river have paid off,

as the water quality of the river has returned to high “A” grade, just below the highest level of AA or drinkable.

That's higher than a lot of pools you swim in!

We have relished living along the Tama River, and even more this summer as we have discovered the joy of swimming in the Tama!

And it's not just us — many others are diving in up and down the river.

Getting our Natsu Yasumi (summer vacation) homework done!

Ah, I need to erase so bad!

What are you having to do, Sarah?

I'm drawing what's so fun vacation.

How about you, Anna cakes? Don't mess me up!

No!!!! Oh sorry, I messed you up?

Becca got all her homework done so now she can chillax.

With Joshua. With Joshua.

Yeah, I'm helping Becca

And Joshua, you still have your Natsu Yasumi, don't you?

You still have break a whole 'nother week, huh? Awww!

So, is this a picture of our camping trip?

There's the huge orange tent that we have

And a big, happy sun, huh?

Now Anna has finished her work, so... I'm waiting for the grilled cheese.

Yes, OK, it's almost ready.

There it is. I'm on grilled cheese duty tonight.

Flip! Umm, that looks good.

Rivers are a huge part of our lives.

There would be no life without them.

In fact, the most important river in our lives is the river of the love of God in Jesus Christ that flows through the lives of everyone who believes in Him.

It's a river of hope and joy, peace and nourishment.

Wherever it flows, things flourish.

It's the secret to our family's happiness.

I like to think that the Japanese city of Aikawa where we enjoyed our barbecue is named after this river,

because it translates as “The River of Love.”

What a beautiful picture of God's great love!