What A $40 Jogging Stroller Taught Me

Gò0dNews for Parents

What A $40 Jogging Stroller Taught Me

by Jordan Burchette

Ihave been taking advantage of our local greenway each morning after breakfast. I load my two kids in the car and head to the park. The walk is peaceful, as the greenway is surrounded by thick trees, a gently flowing river, and many beautiful stops along the way, including a duck refuge.

It is a perfect way to start one’s day, especially with two littles full of energy upon waking up each morning. After a few days of enjoying the local landscape, they started to get lazy. “We don’t want to walk anymore,” they whined. “My legs hurt,” they grumpily complained. “We just want to go to the park,” they griped.

So, in true Type-A fashion, I decided to “kill two birds with one stone.” I would run/ walk while the kids enjoyed the bumpy ride and then finish our morning exercise at the end of the track, where a beautiful playground was conveniently located. A win for all of us!

I wanted a basic jogging stroller to run with and scored one on Facebook Marketplace for $40. I arranged a pick-up time with the seller and stuffed the lightly-used stroller into the back of my SUV. We headed towards the park, where I proceeded to fumble with the new stroller for ten minutes until I finally figured out how to use it.

Once I finally got the stroller opened, locked, and packed full of snacks and water bottles, we took off down the greenway. I walked for a few minutes to warm my calve muscles up, and then I took off jogging, pushing them as I jogged.

As I was walking, I looked down at both of my kids, and my mind immediately returned to a few years ago when we lived in Greenville, South Carolina. Isn’t it strange how certain moments trigger memories? Our youngest was a baby, and our oldest was probably two or two and a half when we lived in that beautiful city. I remembered how I would have never ventured out to take both kids on a threemile run/walk on a wooded greenway. I barely went outside in general, to be honest.

I stayed in a constant state of fear and panic during that time of their lives. What if someone snatched them up? What if they fell off of the swings or slide? These were questions that kept me at home, free from danger. Even when we were home, I rarely went outside for longer than an hour. What if they got mauled by a dog? Or what if they got hit by a car? Many of the fears were completely irrational, but I couldn’t see it at that time.

Isn’t that how life goes? We don’t always see God using those seasons to mold us at the time.

Now, several years later, I see how far God has brought me. Somewhere in the last few years, I woke up and realized I wanted to be the mom that went out and really lived life with her kids. I didn’t want to be a slave to fear any longer, nor did I want to pass that fear onto my children. I want them to watch me live life even if I am scared. This morning, I read my Bible and read about Jesus casting out demons that knew and feared Him because they knew who He was and how powerful He was. Jesus, in the same chapter, rebuked a storm. That is the God I, and hopefully, you, serve.

About The Author Jordan Burchette writes stories to encourage, inspire, and challenge others. When she isn’t writing, she is running her small business, enjoying time with her family, and drinking coffee. You can follow her blog at www.thewordsofjordannoel.com.

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