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What a gorgeous morning. I got up early to make brownies for a funeral dinner at church. I almost needed a sweater when I went outside for my devotions. The air smelled moist and earthy and mossy and stuff. Not like the hottest part of summer when the air smells, well, hot and dusty and "not clean."
I was thinking about the funeral today. The man who died was one of those people we call an "old saint of the church." In his eighties and full of wisdom. Not blown about by the newest Christian fancies. Oh, we need those saints so much.
That started me thinking about one such "old saint" in my own family growing up, my grandpa's cousin Eiffel. (he was born a few years after the Paris tower, always wondered if that is where his parents got the name...) He majored in physics and religion at DePauw University, graduating in 1924. (now, where did he get the idea that you could mix science and religion???)
Eiffel taught high school chemistry and physics. He also grew sorghum on his farm, and collected steam engines. That is about all I knew about him, except of course, for the Bubbles.
Eiffel loved to play with bubbles. They are the perfect vehicle with which to study surface tension, and other physical properties of the universe. He holds the Guinness Book World Record for the longest lasting bubble--241 days. He also kept a bubble in a jar while traveling either "cross-country" or 250 miles--I've heard both stories; either is equally fantastic to me. My brother has The Jar. You can read about Eiffel here or here.
What I didn't know growing up was about the "old saint" side of Eiffel. My family was Catholic, and the men in Grandpa's family were unchurched ("religion was for women and children"). The bio says Eiffel was saved in a revival at age nine. But one family reunion, after my fiance and I had had a fresh encounter with the Lord, Eiffel said the grace before the meal. I had never heard a man in my family pray like that. He absolutely ushered us into the presence of God. Here was a seventy-six year old man, praying and showing the evidence of a long life lived for the Lord. It was amazing, and my first encounter with an "old saint" of the Protestant variety. (We did have Old Saints in the Catholic church, too, but of course, they prayed silently...)
I love two "Eiffel quotes":
A Chicago Tribune reporter wrote, "Eiffel Plasterer doesn't just blow beautiful bubbles with soap, he does it with life itself. He is a national treasure." C.T. 12/3/85.
And Eiffel's own quote: "Bubbles will last if they do not break."
Lovely.
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