Memories of an Oklahoma Farm Boy

by Virgle Chappell

Where To From Here


Why does a person act as he does? What are the factors which determine a person's character and direction in life? When unwise decisions are made we often hear, "What more could you expect? He's just like his father (or mother)." Parents very often blame themselves for errors their children make, and wonder, "Where did I go wrong?" Children often blame their parents by asserting, "You made me what I am!"

There is probably a grain of truth in each of these accusations, but there must be much more than these concepts which are involved in the development of the decision making process of each individual. For example, a young man in our family never knew his grandfather because he died before the young man was born. However the likeness in stature, personality and behavioral traits is obvious to anyone who knew them both. 

For several years I have been researching my family history. The Bible warns us not to become too engrossed in family genealogy, but I believe the study for us today can be very helpful in establishing our own lives. Israelites knew their beginnings and therefore such a study tended to lead them into a false sense of security as far as their relationship with God and their fellow man was concerned. Americans, and most of mankind today, don't know where they came from and many don't care. This attitude, coupled with not knowing where we are going, has left us pretty much a self-centered society. For me, to study my family past, has led to a greater appreciation of my family name and much more important, to gain the knowledge that I have a heritage which should inspire me to a greater level of character and development.

Many would caution not to delve too deeply into the past. We may find things which we would not like to know. This has not been the case for me as I studied the lives of our ancestors of the past almost 400 years. In our immediate family, I have not found one "outlaw". Instead, where obituaries are available, they have told of caring and humble men who were well respected in their neighborhoods. I can only suggest this fact is true because of their personal faith in God. All seem to have had a deep respect for God and most have been active in their religious faith. Some had broken from the established, state governed, church before coming to America. Others, the Chappell's in particular, began separating from the Church of England in Colonial America. Many families moved in open rebellion to the Church by joining such groups as the Quakers. Most took a more gentle route by aligning themselves with Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists. The history of our family reveals we broke from many of societies inhumane practices even before laws were put on the books prohibiting the same. An example is the slavery issue. Our family either had no slaves at the time of the Civil War, or they had made provisions for freeing them even before the war was considered. 
All this has led me to a very deep appreciation for my background and caused me to give more thought to my own personal relationship to God. What were the factors responsible for leading me to where I am today? Was it mainly my parent's influence and teaching or were there factors far beyond those impressions a child would normally receive from his parents. 

I have come to the place where I believe there are forces within each individual which have been put there by countless ancestors of the past which tend to form and determine the character of each individual. Though the statement, "We are the product of our environment", to some extent is true, there are also forces within each individual which tend to nullify those environmental factors and keep us within certain bounds set for us by those who have gone before.. 

My earliest remembrance of knowledge of God is when I was only 4 years old. I remember having terrible night mares at times and would awaken trying to move or run away from some terrible being. Regardless of how hard I tried, neither my legs nor arms would move. I could only lie there, frozen in place until it all went away. Finally, through some inspiration, I knew that if I asked God to keep me from those dreams, He could do that for me. Where this knowledge came from I do not know. I never remember my family attending church during my early childhood years nor do I remember my parents instructing me concerning things of God. But I began to pray each night after I had gone to bed and ask God to keep the dreams away. My prayers were answered and the dreams never came again when I would pray before going to sleep.

When I was 7 or 8 years old I remember my friend, Roy Wilson, and I walking down the road together one day. We were talking about Jesus and about how no one was able to find His body after His death. We had no conception of the resurrection, so we discussed how great it would be to go there and search for His body. 

Mom did have a Bible and I remember I often would look at the pictures it contained and on occasion read some parts of the contents. I did attend church beginning about my 13th year and became somewhat regular in attendance at a Nazarene church just a few miles from our home. 

Our family moved to another community about this time and church attendance stopped. My first meaningful religious instruction began when I was almost 15 years old. I had begun dating a neighbor's daughter, Lois Rolf, who later became my wife and the mother of my children. Her family were very strict Baptists and soon I was attending church with her. Under her influence and that of her family and their pastor, I made profession of faith in the latter part of my 15th year.

My dad, Leon Chappell, probably became a Christian as a child or young man, but spent many years of his young and middle adult life away from the church and Christian influences. Yet, as I remember him, he was always a good, gentle and caring man. There were often influences which, at times, he tasted and tried. But there always seemed to be some stronger influence upon his life which caused him to turn away before they could gain control of his life. In later life his true character began to shine through as he devoted himself completely to the God who had been with him from the beginning. In my own personal experience I could relate when in the Navy and in San Francisco between trips across the Pacific. As a "typical" sailor I drank to excess one night and knew nothing until the next morning. When I awoke that morning it was almost as if I could see into the distant future and see what was ahead for me if I continued as I was going. I determined at that point never to drink strong liquor again. I have since often asked myself how it was that I was able to see and turn when so many others do not. 

God has been very patient with me in the development of my Christian faith. There have been many times when I followed my own desires rather than seek His direction and follow Him. Still, there has never been a time when I felt He had forsaken me. There were times when I felt, from a human standpoint, He should have left me, but in all those experiences, I was always aware of His quiet presence. There have been times of discipline and correction which were not pleasant to endure, but God has always provided in abundance even in those stressful times. In my younger years there were times of doubt, but those times have been left behind. I cannot with certainty say that my faith could endure the "Lion's den" since I have never been put into that situation, but today I consider myself a person of strong faith.

My prayer and desire before God is that those who follow me will continue the character and keep the faith their forefathers had before them. The "stuff" you are made of is material which is Holy Spirit responsive. I believe in some distinct way, God touched my life at a very early age and perhaps even before I was born. Truly, before you were formed in the womb, God chose you and is drawing you to Himself. I can almost see Jesse Mordeciah Chappell and Warren and Robert Wesley Black as well as the Patricks and Shirleys and others of our family, standing at the windows of heaven encouraging each new generation as they come into this world. Some of you I really don't know and some I have never met but that will all change. Soon I too will join those who have gone on before us and then I will know you as you are known by God. Never forget, even if I am long gone, my encouragement and prayers are with you in your search for a Living God, and I, with others of our family which I shall meet, will be watching you from heaven and waiting to welcome you when God calls you home. Please come, join us there!
Another one of your caring ancestors, Virgle Lee Chappell, 1997

Think on these things:

"For God so loved the world (you!) that He gave His Only Begotten Son (Jesus) that whosoever (you!) believeth in Him, SHOULD have eternal life." JO 3:16

"but these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing (making that truth a part of your life) you may have life through His name." JO 20:31

"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe (live) in the name of the Son of God." 1 JO 5:13 (NKJV)