Celebrating the Midkid

Originally published 10.01.2005.
October is the official “Month of the Young Adolescent.” Basically, that translates to, “Let’s give a shout out to middle schoolers,” since adults usually avoid them until forced to interact, like when the kid breaks a collar bone or melts down about her project due tomorrow.

Adults have even neglected to coin a decent name for this developmental stage; thus, these kids are awkwardly called “middle schoolers” at best, “Tweeners” at worst. Therefore, I proudly debut my name for this group: “Midkids,” signifying a niche smack dab in the middle, in a sort of developmental no man’s land.

Actually, this distinctive group defies a one-word name. It is multi-faceted, like phyllo dough, comprised of many layers forming one flaky entity. I say that lovingly because I currently parent a Midkid and work with about 30 in a weekly ministry. I know and love Midkids, in spite of their being “too big to act like that” but not big enough to do a lot of things unsupervised. Here are some lovable attributes of Midkids:

-They’re flexible. They go with the flow quite easily, as long as their friends are flowing down the same creek. Most Midkids travel in small chosen herds, which are best not disrupted for such trivialities as small groups or teams, as they become disoriented and suffer separation anxiety until reunited. That’s why Midkids love to do group community service projects; they get to work within the security of the pack while trying something new.

--They are passionate. Their famous emotional outbursts are often expressions of righteous indignation for others, namely friends. If someone is being slighted, Midkids often ardently take up the cause as their own.

--They’re compassionate. I’ve noticed that they don’t forget friends’ prayer requests and are eager to help the sick and needy, such as Katrina survivors.

--They love God. Many times I hear Midkids express their relationship with Him as “He’s my best friend,” and of course, to a Midkid, this is the ultimate compliment.

So here’s to you, Midkid—energetic, honest, energetic, faithful friend—did I mention energetic?
You are so fun!

About Me

I remember watching the clock tick toward recess in the 2nd grade and then making a beeline for the paper my teacher kept on the windowsill in the back of the room. “Let them play kickball,” I would say to myself, “I will write stories!” Yes, I have been an English major nerd my entire life. I not only embrace the nerdiness but revel in it. Soul Mate? Perhaps Garrison Keillor--Patron Saint of English Majors.

I thought I would teach high school English, but I married my college sweetheart and soon began a family which has grown into:


A 22 year-old recent college graduate daughter (an English major, no less) who is my pride and joy.












A 20 year-old son who draws the line at snacking on anything nonporous, excels at lifting heavy weights such as dumbbells and his mother but not heavy clothes hampers or trash cans.












A 16 year-old, quiet, unassuming girl who likes to startle her family by randomly bursting into Ethel Merman-esque Broadway tunes.












My husband, referred to as "Jorge the Jabanero" on my blog, speaks a strange language called “math,” which has made for some zany communication attempts between us. Here he is in our 1981 high school newspaper after being voted "best male body." I told you he was hot.








Thus, there are five people in my family, plus one dog and one other intrusive entity who moved in in 1986 and never left: Laundry Pile.

I reside in Muncie, Indiana, home of the Garfield the Cat and Ball State University, of which I am an alum. I work in a large youth ministry called "Oneighty" because one cannot have too many teenagers in one’s life. I’m a regular contributor to Christian Women Online’s Devotional “Internet Café,” and I also write a small column for the local newspaper, which I am “scrapbooking” on this blog.

Reared in a Christian home, I completely surrendered my life to Jesus in college and then lived a fulfilling life mothering my kids full time for many years.

In my early thirties, I encountered the most difficult period in my life, the onset of clinical depression. I can personally verify Psalm 34:17-19: "Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, 'My foot is slipping,' your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” It was a long, arduous struggle, but God was faithful.

Although I'm not sure who he is, I agree with William Davis who is credited with saying, “The kind of humor I like is the thing that makes me laugh for five seconds and then think for ten minutes.” I aspire to write in that vein in my columns. My goal is to entertain and encourage readers, share life's ironies, point readers to Jesus without preaching, and to live long enough to see my children have teenagers of their own.

Finally, Erma Bombeck is my writing hero. But Dave Barry is a close runner-up because he autographed his book to me, "Linda, you are a goddess." Nevermind that he writes that phrase every time he signs anyone’s book. If Dave Barry likes me in a totally abstract, non-personal, doesn't-even-know-I-exist way, I hope I can win you over, too.