The Whalehead Club

 

The Whalehead Club

    I'm ever intrigued by paths.  Here we have a path in the form of a boardwalk that crosses over a boggy marsh from the Sound to the elegant Whalehead Club in the distance.  This unique hunting lodge is located in Corolla, North Carolina.  It has quite an interesting history.

     In 1922, the land (which was in the middle of nowhere at the time) was purchased by Edward Knight and his bride, Marie-Louise.  It took three years to complete the rambling waterfowl hunting lodge.  The walls are 18-inches thick and the frame is constructed of steel beams.  Also unusual for a hunting lodge is the elegant Art Nouveau decorative style used for the interior.
     In 1940, the house was sold to Ray Adams and just two years later, leased by the U.S. Coast Guard.  During WWII, German submarines were active along our shores and this location was used to train recruits.  In the late 50's, the house was used as a summer boarding school for boys, which sounds like a fun place to spend the summer!  Then, in the 1960s, the location was used for military and space program developments, which all sounds very hush-hush to me.
      These days, the beautifully renovated hunting club is a jolly good piece of history that's nice to walk around - and especially nice to tour through.

      Getting back to the path stretching out in the picture.  There's a verse in Proverbs that might describe this sturdy, straight pathway:  "Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.  Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil" 4:26-27 NIV.
       While there might be a few places on this pathway that I could pop off safely, for the most part, it's important for me to keep my feet on these well-placed, level boards.  If I swerve to the right or left up ahead, I'll find myself in either mud or several feet of gunky water and who knows what manner of danger within their depths.
       It's my choice.  I can either follow the rules and keep on the designated, safe path, or I can flaunt the rules and place myself in a possibly dangerous predicament.  I prefer to keep my foot dry and free from evil gunk.

        The object lesson is pretty straight forward.  If we seek to obey God in our daily lives, our paths through this world will be much safer and firmer.  God loves us and has a good plan - if we'll just follow it.  "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him" 2 Chronicles 16:9.  

 

      And if you ever find yourself in Corolla, be sure and enjoy a tour of this lovely hunting lodge. It's a very cool place!