the father & the son are both eternal.

The Father thinks, but he does not think as we do. We have a succession of thoughts. The Father has only one thought.  One word that reaches to the abyss of all things that are known and can be known. Where did that thought of God come from? He generated it. Just as we generated the thought of triangularity. We have never seen justice out for a walk. We do not know the latitude of fortitude. So God generated a thought, as we generate thoughts, except that his was one that contains all knowledge. Because he generated it, that thought, that Word is called a Son.  One did not preexist the other.  A little child came home from catechism to an unbelieving father. 'What did you learn in catechism today?'  'That there are three Persons in God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--and they are all eternal.'  The father said, 'Don't be stupid. I am your father, you are my son. I existed a long time before you did.' The little boy said, 'No, you didn't. You didn't begin to be a father, until I began to be a son.'