With a little thought and foresight, you can get your mother a gift she’ll treasure for years. PHOTO SOURCE: (c) Getty Images

(StatePoint) No two moms are alike. Whatever her interests, finding a gift that fits mom just right shows you’ve put thought into it, rather than simply choosing something off the shelf.
This Mother’s Day, why not thank Mom for everything she does, with a gift that celebrates her one-of-a-kind personality?
“Most moms don’t pamper themselves a lot, so customizing a gift that speaks to her hobbies and personal style will feel like a real indulgence,” says Amy Myers, vice president of creative services for Things Remembered.
Here are some ideas to help you find the perfect gift:
*Mom that Needs Me Time: When Mom needs to recharge her batteries between play dates and grocery trips, she’ll appreciate a gift that helps her unwind. A gift certificate to her favorite place to relax—a spa, coffee shop or even a bookstore—can be just want she wanted. Or you can hire a cleaning service and babysitter for the day.
*Techie Mom: Maybe she has her own blog, or she’s always first in line to buy the latest tech gadget. If so, look for techie gifts with a personal touch. Nameplates are now available on everything from iPad cases to laptops. And by adding a simple engraving, like “Chief Executive Mother,” you can make the gift more meaningful.
Alternatively, you can look for portable gifts that make her life easier. For example, Things Remembered offers a USB photo keychain that lets Mom keep her loved ones—and her work—with her at all times.
*Matriarch Moms: Proud moms and grandmas love to brag about their families. Between smart phones and computers, photo sharing has never been easier. Grandmothers, however, are often left out in this digital age. Consider researching the family genealogy online and create a family tree. Or you can give a traditional gift a twist by engraving a personalized message on a picture frame or photo album. Some retailers even offer multiple birthstone jewelry as a way to cherish each child.
*On-The-Go Mom: After having kids, it seems like there are never enough hours in the day. For the mom who makes the most out of every second, opt for a practical and portable gift. Tote bags make a stylish gift and are great for pool days or shopping trips, especially when monogrammed with her initials.
Or, to help mom freshen up on the way to her next event, consider getting her a perfume atomizer and matching compact. When engraved with a special message, her one-minute makeover will remind her how beautiful and loved she is.
For more personalized gift ideas, visit www.ThingsRemembered.com.

East Nelson United Methodist Church

9024 18 Mile Road, Cedar Springs

Pastor Herb Vanderbuilt

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” Colossians 1: 9-14.
Advent is a wonderful time of year filled with excitement and anticipation. Emmy and I have spent the last couple of days in an out of gift shops with Christmas carols providing the proper spirit for this season of giving.  As I looked at all the merchandise I could not help but think of where all these precious items are going to end up. Some, of course, will be lifted high on Christmas day for all to see. Many will be eaten in the next weeks to come. And, of course, there are the ones that will soon be hanging in the closet hoping to one day see the bright lights again. Then I thought to myself, is there a gift that doesn’t end up like this, is there truly a gift that keeps on giving? The words of our text remind us that that God’s spirit is the everlasting gift. Part of the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas time is to remind us of God’s gift of his Son and so we give gifts to the people we know. This is a great tradition. This year East Nelson has decided to also give gifts to people we don’t know. Through the help of our contacts in the local schools we adopted three families within our community and each of us will have the opportunity to bring a gift for someone in these families. Besides bringing a gift however the apostle Paul is reminding us that we also need to hold this person or persons,  in prayer.  Some of us are blessed to have family and friends around us at this time but many others are separated from loved ones and friends. Paul knows about this separation but still found time not only to keep in touch but also to remember them in prayer  which is as priceless as any gift. We don’t often think of prayer as a gift but it certainly is, maybe the most important gift of all. So as we come to the sanctuary this Advent season let us come not only with the gifts we bring for others but with a prayer as well.