Sometimes It's Good to be Quiet

I am (slowly) learning that sometimes it is best to be quiet. Keeping my mouth closed is a habit that does not come easily for me!
       Nonetheless, for the past 10 days I have been fairly quiet in the blogosphere, on Facebook, and generally in cyberspace. Why?
       Largely because I have been NUMB! On an emotional level it feels like I have been sleeping on my arm and I have that strange tingling sensation.
       I have been numbed because of three events or situations:
     1. Newtown, Connecticut massacre - I cannot begin to put to cohesive sentences what I am feeling about this tragedy. Before 1999 the word "Columbine" was not in the English vernacular much, unless you lived in the Denver area. Now it stands for so much that is horribly wrong with society in the U.S. What is even worse is that the most demeaning comments and even threats that I receive on this blog come when I say that our culture must holistically address the issues related to gun control.
     2. Fiscal Cliff - I feel embarrassed by the political leaders of the United States, but also by we Americans who are simply unwilling to share sacrifice and live within our means. Everyone wants to cut deficits, but I don't know very many people who are willing to pay more in taxes, or not get some pork project in their district arranged by their congressman. Those of us who consider ourselves the "middle class" want the wealthy to pay more (a Democratic favorite), others want capitalism and economic growth to solve our problems (A Republican favorite). Everyone wants to cut spending, except when it personally impacts us. Then we don't want cuts -
     * Non-profit agencies say that it will be TRAGIC is the charitable contribution deduction is limited or eliminated. We can't do that!
     * The many finance and mortgage companies and lobbyists say that limiting the amount deducted for mortgage interest will send America into Recession. We can't do that!
     * Groups such as the AARP say that it is morally wrong to make changes or even cuts to Medicare or Social Security because it will put seniors out on the street. We can't do that!
     * Some well-meaning people feel that we cannot limit Defense spending and that the military-industrial complex should continue to grow unrestrained.
       It feels like America is a country of pre-adolescents trying to figure out how to live through the awkwardness of growing up! And at the moment America has a bad case of ACNE!
     3. Incarnation - AND ... I have been quieted by the stunning proposition of God entering the world in the person of Jesus. He must have been absolutely crazy! Especially with the numbing realities of the American culture in the past month. Advent was a sober time for me, with more gravitas than in previous years. It has ben humbling for me, bringing a silence to me for these days.