The Ragamuffin Gospel; Visual Edition

I started reading the Ragamuffin Gospel; Visual Edition by Brennan Manning and so far I'm struggling with reading the book. I love it when books give visual aid, but honestly, as cool as the graphics are, they are too distracting. Some of the fonts used are hard to read (and in some cases hard to see) and the book reads like a magazine making the writing/concepts seem choppy and disorganized. But the funny thing is that I think this disorganized mess gives a great visual of the heart of who we are next to God. I don't think that was it's intentions, in fact, I'm not sure if anyone else even sees that, but I saw that and I thought it was kind of neat.

I'm only about half way through the book, but beyond the visuals, I have read several things that I believe are profound, or hard for Christians and non-Christians alike to accept.

But one of the things that stirred in me was a part that talked about God being revealed in nature and science pushing God out.
One part says very simply "Our world is saturated with grace and the lurking presence of God is revealed not only spirit but in matter- in a deer leaping across a meadow, in the flight of an eagle, in fire and water, in a rainbow after a summer storm, in a gentle doe streaking though a forest, in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, in a child licking a chocolate ice cream cone, in a women with windblown hair. God intended for us to discover His loving presence in the world around us."

There was something about reading this... It was all so simple. Simple, but beautiful beyond belief, and it is where we can discover God. I've been longing return to simplicity. Instead of the droning of an air conditioner in the morning, I want to hear the songs of the birds. Instead of the the smell of chlorine in the pool down the street, I want to smell the scent of fresh flowers and grass. I want to discover God in the stars and marvel at the depths of the universe.

You know, I don't mind thunderstorms. I fear without being afraid. They make me feel small and insignificant but it makes me think of the passage in the Old Testament where God is going to reveal Himself to Elijah. There is a great wind, and earthquake and a fire and even though those things display the mighty power of God, God was not in them. He was in the gentle whisper. Everytime there is a thunderstorm I am reminded of God revealing Himself to Elijah and I am enveloped in God's loving presense.