Work Hard, Play Hard, Rest Well!

#ShoutoutSeptember must include a post about our work interns! In young Caleb Vogel’s third summer of work here at Magnalia Farm, we wanted him to intentionally experience the fruit of his labors. That’s a big deal:

Work is harder (though not necessarily less important) when its results are hard to see.

So as part of his Senior Summer, when he would help build a space or enhance it, we would have him take time to just ENJOY IT. For Caleb, that usually meant reading a book there. 😉

A Homestead motto is “work hard, play hard, rest well.” Caleb worked hard! He most often ran (literally RAN) from one chore to the next. Who does THAT? And he often did that barefoot, having become a barefoot speedster of some repute at our annual farm footraces. This earnestness flowed out of his theology of work.

So in Semper Fi Garden, at Camp Paradiso and at Walden Cabin, or on the basketball or pickleball courts that he painted, catching him for these photos was a sweet joy.

It was a capstone experience to a journey through work, which he embraced with the support of his parents, and which he describes in the essay he submitted at the end of summer. We watched him grow spiritually, physically, mentally and managerially into manhood. He became a great leader of the younger workers here, who he helped mentor.

The Homestead is better because of Caleb, and others like him, who have stewarded a job with faithfulness and created a place for others to be blessed.

How grateful we are for these beacons of light in the rising generation.

Blessings circling ’round. ❤️ 🙏