What You May Not Know About Chick-fil-A…
Friends! For all you Chick-fil-A fans out there, I’ve got some fun, inspirational tidbits to share, all about the woman behind Chick-fil-A. Jeannette Cathy, Truett’s wife, led a remarkable life, leaving a lovely legacy behind…Their son, Dan, called her “The First Lady of Chick-fil-A.”
Here’s the book cover:
This book came highly recommended by several friends. I predict you’ll find yourself hooked from the first page. Jeannette’s daughter, Trudy, wrote the book so we get a huge sneak peak into their family.
Trudy and her two brothers, Dan and Bubba, led fascinating childhoods. They are all in the Chick-fil-A business today, their children included.
More than once you’ll laugh out loud at not only the kids’ antics, but their Mom’s as well. Don’t miss their Grandmother thinking on her feet one afternoon while babysitting, to throw a towel over an exotic parrot that appeared on their back porch. The Cathys will tell you their farm in Georgia is in the middle of nowhere so how this parrot came to perch on a railing is still a mystery.
The kids’ Grandmother not only caught the parrot, she brought it inside! The children were dying for their parents to get home to see it. They did indeed get to keep the parrot. It was Jeannette who taught it to talk! Don’t miss how long the parrot lived. Still makes me chuckle.
Jeannette and Truett taught 8th graders in Sunday School for thirty years. They believed this was a vulnerable age and it was important to pay attention to these children and teach them about the Lord. This is one of many instances where we see how faith was so important to the Cathys.
Trudy said there wasn’t a morning that went by you didn’t find her parents in prayer at the breakfast table, sometimes for such a long period of time their farm hand felt he needed to stand outside and wait until they were finished. I believe Truett’s and Jeannette’s strong faith bonded their marriage which lasted sixty-five years. They were mighty prayer warriors, taking their prayer requests for so many very seriously.
Several of Jeannette’s Sunday School students have shared stories about what meant so much to them with Trudy. She in turn shares them with us in the book. These young girls all “caught” Jeannette’s faith.
Julie, a former student, said Mrs. Cathy “sparked in me a love and reverence for God’s Word..She taught respect for the Word.” (Earlier in the book we discover Jeannette attended seminary!).
Trudy said her Mother “radiated a reverence for Scripture…her lifetime of Bible study drenched every word she spoke in the joy and power of God’s Word.”
Trudy added, “To grow up in the Cathy home was to grow up fully immersed in the Spirit of God.” And don’t miss “The 3 M’s”—her Mom’s life lesson for her students saying these are the “three most important decisions you’ll ever make.” (See p. 103)
How Jeannette came to faith is a miracle in and of itself. While growing up, her Father left her and her Mother when Jeannette was only three months old, so she never knew him. Her Mother raised Jeannette.
It was a friend who invited Jeannette to church which ultimately led her to become a Christian. Her Mother followed suit thanks to little five year-old Jeannette, who’d become quite the evangelist! Don’t miss this story either! (It is so dear and sweet of the Lord, our constant pursuer…)
We readers also get to see Truett getting his start at the Dwarf Restaurant. We see him learning every aspect of the restaurant business, later evolving into Chick-fil-A with Jeannette right along his side. Her devotion to him and their family defines dedication.
Fast forward to today and there’s not a friend of ours around who doesn’t agree that Chick-fil-A could run the country, especially after how meticulous they ran their drive-thru’s during covid! While we joke about that, in many ways Chick-fil-A’s efficiency is second to none, along with the large influence faith has in how they run the business, still honoring the Sabbath by closing on Sundays.
Jeannette’s love for music filtered down to all three of their children. She drove them all to music lessons, many times being several miles from their farm. Trudy says “Music is the language of our family.” Her brother, Dan, says, “Music not only nurtures my soul, it’s also given me a wonderful way of personal expression. It’s helped me as a leader to trust the feelings side of my heart and express it in an effective way.”
Not only was Jeannette a devoted wife, and mother, soon grandchildren began arriving and she made it a point to make each of them feel special, getting to know each and every one of them, their interests, their talents, etc. She went to great lengths, some of which you won’t believe. Trudy says, “Mom always strove to stay current on what each child and grandchild was up to.”
One stunt Jeannette pulled, which you’ll have to read to find out, was over-the-top clever (See Chapter 16). I’m not sure I’d have ever come up with her solution to make her granddaughter feel special, the whole family embracing the idea.
Additionally, I recently learned about a camp Chick-Fil-A runs called WinShape Camps. My friend and mentor, Lynn Reece, has a granddaughter who attended this camp in Louisville this past summer and so did my friend Gina Russell’s boys who ask every year to go back. Gina says, “WinShape Camps are electric and fan the flame that is started at home. They assist in helping write the words of God in the hearts of our children, which builds a strong foundation to last a lifetime!”
Westport Road Baptist Church in Louisville is one of the many hosts for this camp across the country. (www.mywrbc.org ) Lynn went on and on about how well done the camp is, how much her granddaughter learned, and agrees with Gina about how much emphasis is placed on knowing Jesus Christ, building your faith, etc.
Trudy tell us in the book that Truett and Jeannette launched WinShape Camps back in 1985. Some camps are overnight, for a one-week or two-week stretch. (First-timers to register get 50% off!) They are located in Georgia and are for 1st to 12th graders.
For us in Louisville, Westport Road Baptist Church is quite handy and it hosts a day camp for kids in kindergarten thru’ 5th grade. Here’s the website for you to learn more: www.camps.winshape.org You’ll find a map of the United States with loads of additional day camp locations.
You can already register for the overnight camps now, and registration for the day camps begins in March of 2024. I’m praying our oldest grand angel can go next year!
Finally, I believe this book would make a great gift for a friend as it’s like a reset button to recharge your faith and encourage you to press on no matter the circumstance. Men and women would find this interesting, however I believe it’s really geared more toward moms (and grand moms) of any age.
Now run, don’t walk to your nearest bookstore and grab A Quiet Strength: the Life and Legacy of Jeannette M. Cathy. It’s never too early to start buying Christmas gifts!
‘Til next time!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are “affiliate links.”