Third Report - 26th Anniversary Trip

Saturday night we struggled to find a decent room for a decent price. We lost the struggle! We stayed in a Courtyard by Marriot that was not priced decently nor was it decent! We decided to check out of the hotel and move to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Before leaving the hotel Sunday morning I decided to utilize the internet to find a better deal on a room. I found a last minute special for a BRAND NEW Red Carpet Inn in Ocean Springs. Pictures and a list of all amenities were included. Wow…too good to be true we thought but we reserved the room.

Sunday morning we packed up and spent some time in Gulf Shores. Kent was amazed at the beauty of the Alabama beaches and coastal towns. After leaving Gulf Shores we visited Dauphine Island and Bayou la Batre. My favorite seafood restaurant, Catalina’s was lost and not recovered from Katrina. This area has greatly suffered from the storm. We didn’t find any nice seafood places. We decided we had lost time due to a horrible wreck that had traffic stopped and we would miss church. We decided to keep driving to Mississippi in search of seafood.

Once we FINALLY reached the interstate we saw More Life UPC in Grand Bay, Alabama. Kent and I felt the need for church. We were too far from our hotel so went to a gas station, changed clothes, and went to church. We arrived a few minutes late. I tried to discretely look around for people I may remember from 30 years ago. People in the Gulf Coast Area change churches. If there were people I knew how would they look? Would anyone recognize me? Finally I spotted a familiar face of a man well into his 70's, a man that loved my Dad, Bro. Junior Hamilton. Soon his wife, Sis. Joyce, joined him. I noticed they kept looking across at me. Of course everyone in the church kept looking at us. Senior Pastor Louis Davis finally said, “I don’t know who this fine looking couple is that came in but sir will you stand and introduce yourself. You look familiar.” Kent stood stated his name and that he pastored a United Pentecostal Church in Conroe, Texas. We were passing by and saw your church and just wanted to drop in.” This meant nothing to people I may know and I was disappointed. The pastor explained this is the importance of being on the interstate and having the name visible. Then the Pastor asked, “Mam, would you stand up and say something?” I stood and stated that I was Tracie THOMAS Smith my Dad pastored the Theodore church and immediately people started whispering and smiling! Of course this didn’t help my feelings. I did not recognize any of them.

During altar service people began to reacquaint themselves with me. I meet grandchildren of those Dad pastored. People began to tell of the many wonderful things dad believed - holiness, outreach, bible studies, bus routes, trainging young people and etc. One lady with tears in her eyes said her daugher and son-in-law pastor a great church in Mississippi. Her daughter, Pam, feels many of the things she knows to do is because of Dad. Kent explained how I love outreach. One man, Olan Davis, patted me on the back and said "Tracie, I walked many streets and knocked many doors with your daddy." They explained there are many people in the area churches because of my Daddy. Another man came to me and asked if I recognized him. I remembered his voice but didn't recognize him. It was Warren, a man that Daddy won to the Lord. I well remember the hours Dad spent with Warren. Memories, memories, memories. Now I really miss Daddy.

We were late leaving the church, still hadn’t eaten anything except frozen custard and finally found a Sonic. We found the hotel and got checked in. Simply said the Red Carpet Inn is a long way down the totem pole from the Ritz Carlton! Horrible bed, pillows, narrow tub, furniture that looks like cardboard, stiff scratchy sheets and blankets but the room is clean! Well Kent and I laughed and laughed when we stepped into our room. What do you expect for $49 per night? Thankfully we only reserved one night. I have aches and pains from the bed. I woke up with a sore back and sore shoulders, too. Today we will explore the coast line and possibly finish exploring New Orleans. Who knows we may wind up in Branson or somewhere. We are just on the road having fun!