"'God created Himself' is the usual dismissal"
Who uses that dismissal?
I beg to differ on that. God has been and always will be. God is Truth and the original mechanic of all our physical principles. Before God time didn't exist, so the same laws don't apply to Him. "Before" is a concept that applies to us.
Did you ever stop to reason maybe "Time" is a property God gave the Universe?
I don't think people should even be asking those questions unless they have an answer ready. Until then, "God did it" is the only explanation.
"Time is Nature's way of making sure that everything doesn't happen at once."