There's one right here on our front lawn.

[Life in Japan Theme Song]

There must be someone in the river because they're taking their life jackets

Police man and firetruck right in front of our house.

I'm going to go ask him what is going on.

The world today is full of bad news: sickness, separation, tragedies, wars and conflict.

The amount of police that have been going by!

Since 2020, it seems like it's only accelerated.

How does one stay healthy in the midst of so much chaos?

There's some way down on the other side of the river too, you can see them up there.

Oh, we should go find out!

Hopefully my neighbor knows what's going on and later I can get the scoop.

Our neighbors are out there checking it out. What did we find out?

So supposedly there's a fire, but there's no smoke...

No nothing...

We'll find out the true story later... we'll be back. We have a meeting and we're late.

2 hours later...

Looks like they're all gone. Everything back to normal.

It's actually a huge relief to know that everything is normal,

But it really does kind of make you wonder what was going on there.

This is kind of like hiking.

This is kind of like hiking? Oh—don't let Sarah know!

I know this is a hiking family now. Oh, ok.

She accepts it.

Did you hear that, Becca? She accepts the fact that we're a hiking family.

If only there was an elevator all the way up.

Welcome to the Rose Garden.

Well Anna, we found some stairs.

31, 31... Becca, you counting the stairs?

35, 36...

You should do that when you're going to go to hiking.

The good news is that there is still plenty of beauty in the world today, if you know where to look.

[counting] Move over, watch out.

Rebecca, how many steps were there? 114.

Here we are! Hey, the name is Sara...

You're Sarah Bear. Or in Japanese today, "Sara Bara" right?

"Sara Bando." Right there.

Sara Bando

Mommy can I use your phone? Daddy can I use your phone?

Joshua! Talk about a kid who likes to run on ahead.

Hey Dude! OK wait there for us, OK?

So beautiful... Hi Daddy!

Well hey, over there!

I'm bigger!

Let me see, what did you do?

Nice picture.

This one's called Brasilia.

OK!

Makes it look so big!

What did you find, Anna?

Awesome!

Wow, no those really are big, aren't they?

Oh Dude!

Oh my goodness!

It's like a... it's like a baby's big head! I want to play tag!

It's like a baby's big head... it is huge, isn't it? Look at that thing!

Look, this is my hand.

Put your head next to it, Anna!

Oh my goodness, that is big!

Now I take a picture of myself.

Why is it pointy? Yea, that's what roses are.

Every rose has its thorn.

It protects it.

There's a lot of what? Roses!

Should I get a picture with Mommy over there?

A life full of love, joy and peace comes from a healthy life;

but depression, anxiety, fear, hate and addiction are the result of an unhealthy life.

No one sets out to have a bad life, and each life has some parts of both,

so how does one shift from one to the other?

Roses as big as your head! Look at those!

Holy moly! Look at that one stalk there! Look at how gorgeous!

You going to do a handstand? Let's see...

Try

Oh!

Wait! That was not the cool part. This is the cool part.

Oh nice! Whoa!

But from that, like sometimes... let me try it...

Now do it to me! Ha! Joey's going for it too!

Oh Becca!

This is your guys' first time here, huh?

Ben's first time.

I came last year. Oh, ok.

But it wasn't anywhere as beautiful. This year is way prettier.

Hey Daddy, go that way and I'll go this way, OK? OK

Look how dark those roses are! Wow!

Whoa, sugoi!

Wait, I don't like this one. Oh, delete!

Is Sarah coming after you?

Sarah, look how pretty this is! Or this one right over here!

Look! It's red and purple all at the same time. Isn't that so pretty?!

Mmmm hmmm.

My goodness, your favorite purple color! No it's not.

It's not? This is one of my favorite colors...

What? But that one's already wilting though

Yeah, but purple.

OK, Sarah, right here. I want to do a pose.

Yeah, come. You want to do a pose?!

Do a pose for me.

Here comes Joshua's pose...

Whoa! Yes!

Power pose! Sarah, right there.

Sara! Sara bara!

By focusing on whatever is good, lovely, pure and true, you can remain joyful in difficult times.

Don't ignore the beauty around you just because life is hard, but make a point to celebrate it even more.

Well, we'll buy snacks—later

Joshua, did you get tired? Is that your tired face? Oh.

The camera got tired.

The camera doesn't get tired, it still has lots of battery!

I'd like to buy one of these little ones like this!

Oh

It's only ¥1,500

There's some pretty plants here though.

You're going to get a rose. A rose for the momma chan.

It's so pretty!

Alright, momma chans got her purchases. I'm taking a time-lapse in here.

A time-lapse! Oh my.

External beauty is here one day and gone the next, like the blooming of a rose garden.

But true beauty doesn't fade with time.

When truth is embraced and lived out in a practical way, our lives become a flower garden of good, always in bloom.

To be human is to want what's best for our lives, but how many people actually attain it?

Hey there! What's going on?

What's going on? Are you having fun?

Who's this, coming through the woods?

Whoa!

I want to throw rocks in the river.

You want to throw rocks in the river?!

Yeah. OK

Should we go? Yes!

Whoa! Did you get it? I think I did.

You think you did?!

Oh that didn't do it, did it?

OK Should we go up further?

Ker-plunk!

Look at that spot!

Look who's coming! It's Antony. Hey Antony!

Are you going to throw some rocks with us?

1, 2, 3!

We love living in Japan, but our main purpose here is not just to enjoy life, it's to be a light of hope.

If you've been overcome with anxiety, depression or despair, or perhaps you feel just plain tired of living or like giving up,

then our Paz team has developed an anonymous online chat room called Choose Life.

Available in Japanese and English,

there you can connect with one of our amazing volunteers

who also want to share the hope that we have with you in a personal way.

Check the link in the description and remember:

God loves you and has an awesome plan for your life, even if it's too hard to see at the moment. Until next time, we'll see you on Life in Japan.

Ready dude? Let's go home?

Can we go that way? Yea, we're going to go that way, into the sunset.